The paper presents the results of a study of the impacts of the school closures in Austria in Spring 2020 on school students' learning experience, support at home, self-organisation skills. We surveyed 503 students of eleven schools in Vienna in three waves, during the school closure, after the partial re-opening, and just before the summer break. The results were validated and translated into policy suggestions in a participatory workshop with a small group of pupils who had participated (Schüler_innenbeirat). As expected, students from families with lower education and cultural capital, speaking more than one language at home, or with single parents reported more stress and learning difficulties. This group also benefitted in particular from the re-opening of schools. Older youth, above 14, and girls and young women were also feeling stressed and insecure above average. Asked for needs and demands to render schools more resilient and effective, students focused on both more self-determination in learning and more individualised support. Digital equipment and skills were needed but were less of a priority.

The project was funded by the Vienna Science and Technology Fund (WWTF) through its Covid-19 Rapid Response Call in 2020.