Student Surveys

What’s the point in student surveys?

We strive to give our students the best educational experience we can and we need their honest opinions to help us with this. Throughout the school year, students have the opportunity to share and shape their experience through various different surveys. These online surveys take place in tutor time or as lesson starters. The responses give us an idea of the steps we need to take to make school life at Edgbarrow as fulfilling as possible.

What sort of questions are asked?

Our surveys cover a wide range of topics. This year, students have completed surveys on the following:

  • Year 7 Transition
  • Understanding How I Learn
  • Safeguarding and Keeping Safe/Healthy
  • Physical Environment and Community
  • Quality of Education/Teaching and Learning
  • Inclusion and Equal Opportunities
  • Pride in School and Values
  • Behaviour and Bullying
  • Personal Development
  • Year 9 Options
  • Well-being
Student feedback helps us to improve the school…

The results of all of the student surveys are discussed in Senior Leadership meetings and presented to the school Governors. During these discussions, we consider the best course of action to improve students’ experiences at Edgbarrow. Here’s an example:

In 2022, 75% of students agreed that they are taught and understand how to look after their emotional and mental health. Whilst this is a good result, we know that we can do better! We therefore increased opportunities for students to learn about mental health (Youthline appointments, Young Minds, Mental Health Awareness week). As a result of this, in 2023, 81% of students agreed that they are taught and understand how to look after their emotional and mental health. We still want this number to grow, so we are continuing to look at projects and initiatives to improve awareness of mental health, including launching the Peer Education Project in January 2024.

There are many other ways in which we have responded to student feedback, including:

  • Increasing supervision on the Astro (more cameras and more staff)
  • Planting trees and reintroducing the Eco rewards program
  • Creating a working group to look at how and when homework is set
  • Meeting with students to get direct feedback on PSHE lessons
  • Increasing opportunities for student led assemblies (Umbrella Club, Black History Month)
  • Providing more workshops for PSHE (Chelsea’s Story, AlterEgo, Bob Tate)
  • Focusing the School Development Plan on ‘Deep Learning’ and ‘Success for All’ (2023)
  • …and many more!
2022/23 Student Surveys Feedback

This year we are particularly proud of…

  • 90% of students think the school is an important part of the local community
  • 92% of students take pride in the presentation of their work
  • 95% of students understand British Values
  • 93% of students agree that the school teaches them to be more resilient
  • 96% of students agree that they understand about consent and sexual harassment
  • 100% of students agree that there is an excellent range of co-curricular activities offered by the school
  • 100% of students agree that school teaches them the difference between right and wrong
  • 97% of students feel safe in school
  • 93% of students agree that there are opportunities to be involved in wider school life

But there is still work to do…

You said: 71% of students agreed that they receive regular and useful feedback which will helps them improve their work.
So we have: put marking and feedback on the School Development Plan so that it is a whole school focus for this year.

You said: 61% of students agreed that they develop their learning by reading or researching around their subjects.
So we have: put ‘Thirst for Learning’ as the Edgbarrow 8 priority for this year.

You said: 79% of students agreed that they had access to reliable ICT when they need it.
So we have: put plans in place to modernise the library and investigate the possibility of rolling out an ICT program that will allow better access to laptops/tablets for lessons.

And we plan to take even more actions on aspects such as inclusion, diversity, and teaching & learning.