2 │ SUMMARY OF MAIN FINDINGS Distance learning in basic and upper secondary schools in the Czech Republic 11 implemented online distance learning, a significant increase in digital competences is one of the very positive effects of the otherwise complicated pandemic situation. Along with the increasing duration of distance learning, there has been a growth in the proportion of schools that made changes in educational content and that adequately reduced the subject matter set out in their school educational programmes given the possibilities of distance learning. Compared to the assumptions from the beginning of the 2020/2021 school year, at the end of the first half of the year the proportion of teachers who reduced or would reduce the educational content based on experience with distance learning increased by more than a quarter. Maximum reductions were in the content of development-focused subjects and, as the case may be, some knowledge-focused subjects (such as geography, history, homeland studies, chemistry, etc.), less frequently in key subjects such as Czech Language, Mathematics and Foreign Language. Content reductions were least frequent in the Maturita fields of secondary technical schools. The proportion of basic schools that organise online distance learning to the extent according to the in-class learning timetable has also decreased (from 14% to less than 10%). Transferring the in-class learning timetable to the distance form is unsustainable in the long term, which has been pointed out by the Czech School Inspectorate throughout the year in which distance learning has been implemented. Therefore, it should be perceived that the proportions of schools whose extent of synchronous learning has exceeded the limits set out in the Methodological Recommendation for Distance Learning issued by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports are still high. The findings of the Czech School Inspectorate have shown that the development of digital competences of both teachers and pupils is in most lessons at a sufficient level for online distance learning to be implemented. The schools that did not pay much attention to digital technologies and the development of teachers in working with them before the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020 have generally gained on those that previously used the digital environment. Unfortunately, most schools have little success in respecting the specifics of online distance learning and, in addition to synchronous online learning, do not make sufficient use of other distance learning opportunities, which is not very effective. For the following period, it will be necessary to solve a number of problems brought about by distance learning. One of them is the neglect of the social and psychological development of pupils, regardless of their age. Similarly alarming is the low proportion of lessons in which both the teacher and pupils have their cameras turned on and see each other or in which the cooperation of pupils is purposefully supported (even though it is now already supported by technologies). The second area with some positive trends is evaluation, as many of the methods for evaluating pupils used in in-class learning are difficult to apply in online distance learning. In continuous evaluation, the proportion of teachers who changed the methods of pupil evaluation during the first half of the 2020/2021 school year has increased by more than 20%. In final evaluation, the principals of a larger proportion of schools have begun to use other methods of final evaluation in addition to the still most frequently used grading. Nevertheless, the area of evaluation and the provision of continuous feedback to pupils is still a major challenge for the future. The proportion of schools that systematically communicate with pupils’ parents about distance learning and adjust it to suit most participants is relatively low. In addition, a high proportion of teachers have been recorded (almost one fifth) who reduced communication with their colleagues compared to in-class learning.