In addition to missing out on sections of the curriculum, and their experience of poor-quality learning during lockdowns, a sizeable number said they were struggling with motivation, concentration and study skills in the aftermath of the pandemic. Put a pause on my learning, I felt robbed of two years of growth and development. Affected me a lot haven’t been able to concentrate academically since the pandemic. Felt like I missed out on a lot of my teenage years, time kind of stopped and now all of a sudden I’m supposed to be going to uni. I feel that I was not able to gain exam skills and various other school skills during my GCSE exams which then reflected and transferred to my A-Levels. The impact of the Covid pandemic Those leaving school this year had the first part of their GCSE years, or equivalent, disrupted by the Covid pandemic. This year we offered participants the opportunity to talk about the impact of the pandemic in their own words in a free-text box, responding to the question “How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected your life since 2020, if at all?” Most participants chose to answer this question and a common theme arising from these comments was loss. Applicants felt a sense of loss in several different areas – learning, social opportunities, trips and work experience – and a sense of lost time. Unite Students | Applicant Index Report 29 INTRODUCTION THEMATIC ANALYSIS LEARNING METHODOLOGY TOPICAL ISSUES BACK TO THEMES