English-language schools in the UK lost more than £590 million in 2020 as a result of COVID restrictions and laid off more than 50% of staff, according to new data from BONARD’s research conducted for English UK.

The second edition of the the English UK Covid-19 impact report, was prepared by BONARD, and explores how the pandemic has affected 350 accredited centres represented by the association.

Data gathered from 183 English UK member centres – more than half of the association’s current membership – by research partner BONARD during February shows that student numbers among participating schools decreased by 79 per cent in 2020, compared with the previous year, to 54,196. Student weeks, meanwhile, declined by 65 per cent to 333,959.