knowing your school: listening to pupils wendy sheehan gl performance

Knowing your school: Listening to pupils

Wendy Sheehan

GL Performance

Listening to Pupils

Ofsted Inspection Framework

Quality of Leadership, in and management of, the school:

Inspectors should consider:

“The effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation and the extent to which it is shared with governors – this includes monitoring and evaluation of the satisfaction of pupils and their parents.”

Ofsted Inspection Framework

Behaviour and Safety of pupils at the school:

“Ofsted will take account of the views expressed by pupils, including different groups of pupils, of their experiences of others’ behaviour and attitudes towards them, and their understanding of the importance of such attributes in school and adult life.”

Ofsted Inspection Framework

Teaching

•The extent to which teachers enthuse, engage and motivate pupils,

•How well do pupils develop the skills that enable them to learn for themselves

Pupil Attitudes and Perceptions

• Pupils perceptions influence parental perceptions

• Can be a predictor of problems further down the line

• By comparing your schools perceptions to “similar schools” adds context

• Students attitudes can influence their experience of education and effect attainment

• Understanding pupils as individuals can help address issues such as absenteeism

Understanding your pupils – An effective survey

Five key questions to consider

1. How can we engage with pupils?

2. What questions are useful to ask pupils?

3. What are the top priority for pupils?

4. How do we report on the results?

5. How do we act on the results?

Question 1: How can we engage with pupils? Formal Routes: •Pupil councils • Pupil governors• Pupil inspectors• Pupil perception surveys• Pupil attitudinal surveys

Informal Routes:

Listening to pupils read, attending events.

Kirkland Rowell

• One of the range of self-evaluation solutions from GL Education

• Monitor parent, pupil and staff perceptions• Working with schools for the last 13 years• Working with almost 3,000 schools in the UK

Question 2: What questions are useful to ask pupils?

Top 5 areas that schools explore in their Primary pupil surveys:

1.Ensuring pupils do their best and make good progress

2.Treating all pupils fairly and equally

3.Celebrating and rewarding achievement

4.Encouraging and listening to pupils views

5.Tailoring workload to child’s needs and ability

Question 2: What questions are useful to ask pupils?

Top 5 areas that schools explore in their Secondary pupil surveys:

1. Ensuring pupils do their best and make good progress

2. Treating all pupils fairly and equally

3. Encouraging and listening to parents’ views

4. Quality of school management

5. Explaining to parents how to help their child

Question 3: What are the top priorities for pupils?

Single most important factor of pupils of all ages is………………….

HAPPINESS

Importance of two factors over time"Which of these 20 items, would you like to see improved at the school"

An effective pupil survey –Secondary

Identify any disconnect

Area Importance Satisfaction

Their happiness in school

76% 76%

How well the school controls bullying

70% 61%

The schools security

68% 84%

Exam Results 65% 87%

The school’s facilities

65% 58%

Making best progress? (SECONDARY)

.

Subject Boys Girls

PE 91% 85%

Maths 88% 85%

Biology 86% 84%

Physics 85% 76%

Chemistry 84% 79%

English 89% 91%

French 73% 80%

Art 79% 89%

Making best progress? (PRIMARY)

.

Subject All Pupils

English 94%

PE 94%

IT 93%

Art 90%

Mathematics 87%

Question 4: How do we report of the results?• It is important to give feedback• School council• Pupil focus groups

Question 5: How do we act on the results?• Contribute to the self evaluation process • Identifying gaps between importance and satisfaction• Subject teachers identify students learning preferences and attitudes towards themselves• Baseline for measuring future progress

The customer is always right?

Don’t be alarmed by the results – when measuring perceptions

What would I like to change most about my school.• “Longer hair”• “Pink playdoh”• “Big toys for all to play with at the same time”• “no noote peopll”• “is the place but still in the contary but not on

the mane road loarys go up and dow this road and its dangerus”

Thank you

Wendy Sheehan

E: wendy.sheehan@gl-performance.co.uk

T: 01400 250168

W: www.gl-performance.co.uk