Today’s report (Apr 4) by the chief inspector of Ofsted underlines just how much damage has been inflicted by lockdowns and restrictions on socialising. It is deeply shocking that babies are struggling to recognise facial expressions, having been born into a world of mask-wearing.

Some children also have limited verbal skills, and others are experiencing problems relating to those around them because their contact with people has been so limited.

This is not only heart-breaking, but also raises the real possibility that these children will struggle when they go to school. Through no fault of their own, the pandemic has limited their life chances before they even embark upon education.

Ofsted's report shows the scale of damage done to children's education during the pandemic

The depth of concern this prompts must be addressed as a matter of urgency, especially here in the north, where too many young people are already struggling at school.

Last month, it emerged that children in Yorkshire are leaving primary school with much lower levels of attainment in literacy than they should have.

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The Government announced a package of measures for schools last week aimed at helping pupils catch up after the disruption to teaching caused by Covid. Whilst welcome, teachers’ unions questioned whether the proposals went far enough, particularly in supporting children from poor backgrounds who are likely to be the worst-affected by the cost of living crisis.

In the light of today’s findings by Ofsted, the Government must look again at whether it is doing enough for children. Extra support for schools is laudable, but it is clear that intervention to help the young is needed even before they step into a reception class for the first time. These children cannot be let down at the very start of their lives.

Ofsted: Report reveals shocking scale of impact pandemic had on pupil - The Yorkshire Post says