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Contact: Mr Chris Wilson, Senior Inspector/Adviser (Strategic Management). Tel: 01962 846517

1. Summary

1.1 This report sets out the results of the pupil attitude survey carried out with over 30,000 pupils in primary and secondary schools. The responses are compared with those obtained in the survey of pupil attitudes carried out in the previous two years. There is a marked level of consistency between the results of the last two years' surveys and this year's. This is reassuring and suggests these results are a trustworthy basis from which to plan improvements. Questions on computer use and access to the internet now show that eight out of ten pupils in the year groups surveyed have access to computers and six out of ten have access to the internet. It is recommended that the survey should continue to be undertaken each year and key indicators reported to this Committee to measure success in raising pupils' expectations of their education.


2. Background

2.1. The pupil attitude survey was carried out for the first time in 2000. This year the same year groups, Years 2 and 6 in primary schools and Years 7 and 9 in secondary, were included in the survey. The same set of questions were asked, with slight amendment to the wording. Some additional questions about the use and availability of personal computers at home were included in the survey for Year 2 pupils this year.

2.2. Completed forms were received for 7086 Year 2 pupils (49.9% of the year group in the county), 8160 Year 6 pupils (54.6% sample), 7755 Year 7 pupils (53.6% sample) and 7123 Year 9 pupils (50.33% sample), a total of 30,124 pupils (52.16% sample of all pupils in these year groups). This was an increase of 38% compared with 2001. Pupils in 170 schools (53.3%) provided Year 2 data, 178 schools (58.4%) Year 6 data and 46 secondary schools (64.7%) returned Year 7 and Year 9 data.

2.3. The year groups for the survey were chosen because Year 2 and Year 6 are respectively the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. It shows the attitude of pupils leaving these key stages. It would not be possible to undertake similar survey work with younger Key Stage 1 pupils. In secondary schools Year 7 was chosen because it shows the attitude of pupils in their first year in secondary school and could be compared with attitudes in Year 6, the last year of primary school. Year 9 was chosen because it is the end of Key Stage 3 and shows pupil attitudes before they enter their GCSE courses.

2.4. One of the purposes of the survey was to collect data on pupils in Hampshire schools that was not focused on pupil outcomes, for example end of key stage assessments and external examinations. The attitude of pupils towards their learning contributes to their levels of attainment. Improving attitudes towards school should lead to higher levels of attainment. In 2000, this survey was the first attempt to collect comparable pupil attitude information across the whole school system in Hampshire. It now forms a baseline against which changes can be assessed, and further school improvement initiatives planned and directed. Ensuring that schools, parents and carers all work together to encourage positive attitudes by children towards school will be a major challenge but the benefits for children's education will be significant.

2.5. A form pre-populated with school information with the same questions was used for Years 6, 7 and 9, but for Year 2 fewer questions were asked and the range of possible responses reduced. The guidance for Year 2 pupils also suggested that teachers could read the questions out to their children or work through the questions individually with pupils. In order to keep the burden of filling the questionnaires to a minimum, the number of questions was restricted to what could be easily and clearly fitted on two sides of A4 paper. It was estimated that most pupils could complete the questions in less than 15 minutes.

3. Results

3.1. Attached to this report as Appendix 1, are the results from the
questionnaires. There are data for each of the four year groups for all
pupils and these are also analysed separately for boys and girls.

3.2. As the questions for Year 2 pupils allowed fewer responses, three rather
than the four on the questionnaires for the other year groups, comparison
between the Year 2 responses and those for the other years has to be made
with care.

3.2.1. In all year groups there were some responses that did not indicate whether it was a boy or a girl completing the form. Therefore the total responses for boys and girls do not add to the overall total. The balance between the proportion of boys and girls responding should be kept in mind when considering overall response.

3.4. The questions asked of pupils in years 6,7 and 9 can be broken down into
four groups. Questions 1, 5 and 6 look at overall pupil attitudes, questions
3, 4, 7 and 10 at the pupils' attitudes to their work, questions 2 and 9 to the
attitude towards teachers and questions 8 and 11 to classroom methods.
The questions for Year 2 pupils can be split into three groups. Questions
1,2 and 3 about overall attitudes, questions 4 and 6 about attitudes to work
and question 5 about their attitude to their teacher.

3.5. Overall there is a marked level of consistency between the results of the last two years' surveys and this year's. This is reassuring. The major variation occurs in responses to question 3 where the language of the question was adjusted at the request of headteachers and this may have affected the different results in 2002, with many more children indicating a more negative view of their work. There is little variation in the responses to other questions which suggests that the wording of the questions and the structure of the survey is secure. It does therefore appear that the survey is providing information that can be relied upon. However, it will be the emergence of trends over the three years that will be particularly useful.

3.6. The comments set out below are based on questions where there has been
a variation of more than plus or minus 2% points between responses in 2001 and 2002, that is, changes that are likely to be significant. Smaller changes could be the result of sampling error and random effects.

3. Overall attitudes to school

Year 2

· More boys usually enjoyed being at school, but fewer thought they always did their best.

· More girls always enjoyed being at school.

· Overall more pupils in Year 2 always get something to do that they are good at, but many more girls than boys say they always enjoyed being at school.

Years 6, 7 and 9

· Overall more boys in Years 6 and 7 indicated they sometimes don't enjoy being at school, but fewer boys in Year 9 felt this.

· More Year 6 girls always get something to do at school that they are good at and more Year 6 girls did their best most of the time.

· Fewer Year 6 boys always did their best, but more Year 9 boys did. As many Year 6 as Year 7 boys said they never did their best at school.

5. Attitudes to Work

Year 2

· Overall more pupils often find work too hard.

· Fewer pupils than in 2001 said they never have school work to do at home.

Years 6, 7 and 9

· Overall more pupils than in 2001 said their work was sometimes not interesting, but the wording of this question was changed for 2002.

· Fewer boys in Year 6 and 7, and girls in Year 9, said they always had homework. More Year 9 girls and boys said they only sometimes had homework set.

· Fewer Year 6 and Year 7 pupils thought their work was just about right for them, indicating a perception that the work is not as well matched to their abilities as last year for these pupils.

6. Attitude to Teachers

Year 2

· The same number of pupils as last year said teachers told them how to make their work better.

Years 6, 7 and 9

· More Year 7 and Year 9 boys think that teachers are usually fair, as do more Year 9 girls. More Year 6 girls think teachers are always fair.

· More girls in Year 9 say teachers often tell them how to make their work better.

7. Classroom Methods

· Fewer Year 9 boys sometimes like answering in class, but responses from girls were the same as in 2001.

· More boys than girls in Years 6, 7 and 9 say their teacher always asks them questions.

8. Access to Computers at home

8.1. As well as pupils in Years 6,7 and 9, those in Year 2 were also asked this year about their access to computers at home and their use of these facilities for homework. There was no difference in any of the older age groups in the boys' and girls' responses to the availability of a personal computer at home, although slightly fewer Year 2 pupils had access to a personal computer. However, in Years 6 and 7 more girls than boys said they used it for homework. In each age group more boys than girls said they had access to the internet, although boys and girls said their use of it for homework was broadly similar. In all cases the variations are small and gender does not appear to be particularly significant in pupils' access to, and use of, computer facilities at home, with at least eight out of ten pupils in all age groups able to use a personal computer at home.

8.2. As with other data from the survey, schools will be able to make comparisons between the variations from their own averages and the average and range for the county.

9. Conclusions

9.1. The survey has established itself as a reliable indicator of pupil attitudes.

9.2. It is proposed that further surveys should be undertaken.

Recommendation

1. That the report be noted.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB This list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.