The use of virtual learning and other digital platforms is increasingly becoming a significant aspect of compulsory education. This can present a range of opportunities but can also create new challenges for schools. More specifically, the use of digital platforms has the potential to support various pedagogical, administrative, and communicative functions of schools. This can range from facilitating teaching and learning to tracking pupil progress and enabling teacher-student and teacher-parent interactions. Digital platform use does not, however, come without challenges, necessitating critical analysis of its implications for teachers, students and parents. Pandemic-related school closures and the move to digital platform use to support remote education was seen to accentuate digital inequalities, generating long lasting impacts on students’ engagement and attainment. As such, the increased platformisation of post-pandemic schooling and the uncritical adoption of platformised practices raises concerns about potential longer-term implications for students and families, and whether it might lead to some being left behind.

Against the above context, this paper presents the findings of a qualitative study that explored the opportunities as well as the challenges associated with platform use within the context of compulsory education. More specifically, this paper draws on qualitative data collected during interviews with head teachers and individual and focus group interviews using participatory tools with teachers, parents and students across two secondary schools in England in 2024. The project findings provide useful insights into whether and how digital platform use is an essential ‘space’ for the post-pandemic operations of schools. The interview findings also shed light into the short and long-term opportunities and challenges of platformisation as identified by the participants. As such, this study contributes to the limited research base on the impact that the use of digital platforms has on teachers, students and families. Developing relevant understandings in this complex area is crucial in order to inform schools’ future engagement and practices in relation to digital platform use.

Keywords: Secondary education, schools, digital platforms.