Pupil Surveys

Quick guide to using surveys for pupil feedback

Gathering feedback from school pupils is an essential component of modern education. Everyone knows that for those involved in education – teachers, support staff, policy makers, and parents – really understanding what students are thinking and feeling is key. While various methods exist for this purpose, surveys stand out as one of the most efficient and insightful tools.

Surveys let pupils express how they feel about their school lives. While one-on-one interviews, observation, or even group discussions can yield similar insights, surveys offer the distinct advantage of speed and anonymity, leading to more candid responses. They can be targeted, tailored, and timed to suit specific purposes and can capture data from a large number of pupils at once.

Types of surveys

Anonymous surveys

Anonymous surveys encourage open, unfiltered opinions as respondents feel safer voicing their thoughts. However, the downside is that you lose the ability to follow up with the individual for clarification.

Identifiable surveys

With identifiable surveys, you can trace the feedback back to the individual, which can be invaluable for follow-up conversations and targeted interventions. The disadvantage here is that some pupils may not feel as comfortable sharing their genuine thoughts.

Online vs paper-based

While online surveys are becoming increasingly popular due to convenience and quick data collection, paper-based options may still be beneficial for younger pupils or those without reliable internet access. Both options come with their own benefits and downsides. SmartSurvey offers both online and offline, so it really depends on what works best for you.

Crafting effective questions

Question design is a pivotal aspect of any survey. While it might seem straightforward, the phrasing, structure, and types of questions you pose can dramatically influence the answers you receive.

- Multiple-choice: Handy for statistical analysis but can sometimes pigeonhole responses.

- Likert scale: Excellent for assessing degrees of agreement or satisfaction but can lack nuance.

- Open-ended: Provide a platform for nuanced, individual perspectives but can be laborious to analyse.

Inclusivity in surveys

Inclusion is critical when it comes to crafting any school survey. Inclusivity in surveys, like adjusting for varying literacy levels, accommodating those with disabilities, or considering cultural nuances, makes sure every person's viewpoint gets a fair hearing. Doing the right thing doesn't just feel good, it seriously boosts the calibre of data you are collecting.

When to conduct surveys

Start of the academic year

Launching a survey at the beginning of the school year can be a smart move, offering an early peek into student impressions, flagging potential problems fast, and setting up future investigation.

Mid-year assessments

A mid-year survey can act as a temperature check. It gives you a solid chance to assess if the changes you made at the start of the year are really hitting their mark.

As the school year ends

As the academic year closes, a year-end review could be key to understanding successes, failures, and where you can do better.

Interpreting the data

Whether you're interpreting subjective insights or crunching raw numbers, understanding data is all about seeing the full picture, comparing it to what's known, and getting to the heart of what really matters. Be careful of pitfalls like confirmation bias; it can distort your understanding by making you see only what aligns with your expectations.

Implementing feedback

Once you've decoded the survey results, the next step is translating this information into concrete action. Speak to all stakeholders – teachers, parents, even the students – to break down your findings and map out where to go next. Keep in mind, what you do today paves the way for future assessments.

Legal and ethical considerations

Navigating data protection laws becomes even more important when we're dealing with children. Gaining consent from both pupils and parents, ensuring the anonymity of data where promised, and keeping the information securely stored are non-negotiable steps in the process.

Example school pupil survey questions

In crafting a survey for school pupils, the style of questions used can significantly influence the type of data collected. Multiple choice questions present a set of fixed answers, providing clear-cut data that's easy to analyse. Likert scale questions gauge intensity of feeling by asking respondents to rate their agreement with statements, giving a nuanced view of attitudes. Open questions allow for undirected responses, inviting the pupils to articulate their thoughts in their own words, which can reveal complex insights but may require more detailed analysis.

Below we've listed a selection of questions incorporating these various formats. Using a mix of question types will aid you in capturing a diverse range of responses, encompassing both quantitative and qualitative data, and giving a well-rounded view of the pupils' experiences and perceptions.

Multiple choice

Which of the following teaching aids do you find most useful in your learning? (Please choose one)

• Interactive whiteboards
• Textbooks
• Educational videos
• Online quizzes
• Group activities

How often do you use the school library?

• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Rarely
• Never

How well do you think school prepares you for your future career choices?

• Very well
• Moderately well
• Slightly well
• Not well at all

Likert scale questions

On a scale of 1–5, how comfortable do you feel asking questions in class? - 1 being 'Not comfortable at all' and 5 being 'Extremely comfortable'.

To what extent do you agree with the following statement: “The homework assigned to me contributes to my learning effectively”?

• Strongly disagree
• Disagree
• Neither agree nor disagree
• Agree
• Strongly agree

How safe do you feel at school on a scale from 1–5? - 1 being 'Very unsafe' and 5 being 'Very safe'.

Open questions

What is your favourite subject and why? (Please choose one subject and give a reason)

Which after-school clubs do you attend, and would you recommend any additional clubs?

Can you describe a time when a teacher really helped you understand a topic? Please provide details of the experience.

What changes would you like to see in the school canteen's menu, and why?