FREE Cocentra National Benchmark Data™

Now, with our FREE pupil and parent benchmarking data, you can compare your results against other schools on a question by question basis.

This valuable benchmarking is based on the data collected by Cocentra, from the many hundreds of schools and hundreds of thousands of parents and pupils across the country who have completed our surveys.

You will receive a detailed analysis of the results from the most recent schools, presented in graphical and tabular format. This will allow you to directly compare your results from the statistical analysis files you receive on completion of a pupil or parent survey.

Order a pupil or parent survey (or a package which contains a pupil or parent survey) now to receive your free benchmark data.

COCENTRA NATIONAL BENCHMARK DATA FOR WHAT PARENTS AND PUPILS THINK ABOUT THEIR SCHOOL

• Parents/Carers Voice surveys
• Pupils Voice surveys

Background

Cocentra has surveyed over 600 schools to ascertain the attitudes of parents and pupils to the work of their schools. It covers critical issues like behaviour, teaching and learning, curriculum and pupils' personal development including "Every Child Matters" priorities.

These surveys provide a valuable database of information about how parents and pupils feel about such issues. Aside from the data being very helpful to individual schools about how their parents/carers and pupils feel about them, Cocentra have now prepared this summary report based on the total data from our most recent survey results. These include 42,000 parents and 98,000 pupils from 86 secondary and 170 primary schools. These schools come from 121 Local Authorities.

Below are some of the extracted highlights that schools, Local Authorities and Policy Makers may find useful. For more comprehensive information on our extensive data report for Parents & Pupils across key stages please contact administrator@cocentra.com.

MAIN FINDINGS PARENT/CARER VOICE

Engaging Parents/Carers

• Eight out of ten parents/carers of both primary and secondary pupils find their schools welcoming and are comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem.

• However, only just over half of parents/carers of secondary pupils agree that their school actively engages them in the life of the school or explains how they can help their child at home.

Liking School, Behaviour and Environment

• 91% of parent/carers of primary pupils and 79% of parents/carers of secondary pupils agree that their child likes school

• Only half of parents/carers in secondary schools agree that pupils behave well in school and just over half believe the school is good at stopping bullying and harassment

• Compared to primary schools, half the numbers of secondary Primary Parents/Carers strongly agree the physical environment of their school is clean, tidy and safe.

Children's Learning Experiences

• Primary and secondary parents/carers express high levels of satisfaction with their children's learning experiences. Over 8 in 10 of them believe that the quality of teaching is good, that staff expect them to work hard and that they are making good progress

• However, only just under two thirds of secondary school parents/carers agree their school provides appropriate homework.

Making a Positive Contribution

• Almost 8 in 10 parents/carers believe the school provides opportunities for pupils to make a positive contribution to the school

• However, only just over half of them believe pupils are provided with opportunities to make a positive contribution to the community outside school

Views of Children are strongly valued

• Only 63% of primary parents/carers and 53% of secondary parents agree that their children's views on important matters are sought, valued and acted upon.

Healthy Lifestyle

• Only 49% of parents/carers of Primary Schools are positive that the school gives appropriate information about alcohol and drugs

• 16% of primary parents/carers and 26% of secondary parent/carers do not agree that their schools encourage and help pupils to take regular exercise

• Only half of secondary parents/carers believe the school encourages and helps pupils to eat and drink healthy things

School Leadership

• 86% of primary parents/carers and 77% of secondary parents/carers believe that their school is well led and managed

MAIN FINDINGS PUPIL VOICE

Summary of experience

The gap between the views of primary and secondary pupils is much larger than that of their comparative parents/carers, with primary age pupils significantly more positive than secondary age pupils about their school experience.

Pupils' Learning Experiences

• Three quarters of primary pupils, but only half of secondary pupils agree they enjoy being at school most days.

• Under half of secondary pupils believe they get regular information about how well they are doing.

• Secondary pupils are also concerned with the regularity and quality of homework with only 12% agreeing strongly that homework is set at an appropriate level

• Only just over half of secondary pupils believe they engage in regular target setting to improve their work.

Behaviour

• Pupils share their parents/carers concern for behaviour and this is the greatest concern of both primary and secondary pupils. Under a half of primary pupils and only 24% of secondary pupils are positive about other pupils' behaviour not impacting on how well they are learning.

Respect & Relationships

• 8 out 10 ten primary pupils state that the school helps them to get on with teachers and other pupils although less than 6 out 10 felt this way in secondary schools

• Whilst primary pupils remain positive about most other aspects of relationships only 45% of secondary pupils state positively that the school is good at stopping bullying and racism, or dealing with it if it happens.

Making a Contribution

• 7 out of 10 primary pupils believe that the school provides them with opportunities to make a contribution to the school and just under 7 out of 10 of them believe the school provides them with opportunities to do things that help people outside of the school

• Conversely, only 36% of secondary pupils state positively that the school provides them with opportunities to make a positive contribution in the community outside of school and only 34% positively agree that their views are sought, valued and acted upon.

Healthy Lifestyles

• The lack of confidence of primary parents/carers on the information schools provide on alcohol and drugs is not, however, matched by their children, who at 74% are a lot more positive

• While 71% of secondary age pupils state positively that they usually feel safe in school only 31% are positive about the cleanliness and safety of the school environment

• Only 53% of secondary pupils state that the school encourages them and helps them to take regular exercise and 37% believe the school help them eat and drink healthy things.