Headteacher Guidance on issuing pre-inspection questionnaires
Headteacher guidance on issuing pre-inspection questionnaires
The notification package contains the range of pre-inspection questionnaires to be completed by all teachers and other staff who work directly with children and young people and staff not directly involved in teaching pupils e.g. office staff, and a random sample of parents and pupils.
Parental questionnaires
Pre-school centres and primary schools with a nursery class
The notification package contains enough pre-school parent questionnaires for all families. Please distribute to all families as soon as possible. If you require additional questionnaires please contact you Inspection Administrator.
Special school/unit/class(es)
All families of children in a special school/class(es)/unit should receive a parental questionnaire. Please distribute to all families as soon as possible. If you require additional questionnaires please contact you Inspection Administrator.
How the number of parental questionnaires is calculated
The number is decided as follows.
|
Size of school roll
100 and less
101-200
201-300
301-400
401-500
501-999
1000+
|
Sample size
All
All up to a maximum of 120
150
175
200
250
25% of school roll
|
How a random sample is achieved
The selection should be obtained by splitting the number of questionnaires proportionately across the stages depending on the total number of pupils at each stage. If the school has relatively few ethnic groups represented in the school then steps should first be taken to ensure that parents of these pupils receive a questionnaire. Thereafter, pick the names from the alphabetical class list, starting at the top of each list, missing out pupils at regular intervals until the required total is reached. For example, where 10 are to be sampled from a class of 30, select every third name. In order to avoid a pupil’s family receiving more than one questionnaire, arrangements should be made to first identify families of senior pupils which will get a questionnaire. Thereafter the names of siblings should be removed from the lower stages alphabetical class list(s) and the same method applied to identify families to receive a questionnaire.
Pupil questionnaires
Guidance on the administration of the pupil questionnaire
The attached package contains the pupil questionnaires which are used to cover a representative, randomly selected sample, across the stages.
How the number of questionnaires is calculated
How to calculate sample numbers for primary pupil questionnaires is as follows:
• School roll divided by 7, then multiplied by 4 – i.e. roll = (231 ÷ 7) 4 = 132.
• Secondary pupil questionnaires please use figures below.
|
Number of pupils (P4/P7)
Number of pupils in school (secondary)
100 and less
101-200
201-300
301-400
401-500
501-999
1000+
|
Sample size
all
all up to max 120
150
175
200
250
25%
|
How a random sample is achieved
The selection should be obtained by splitting the number of questionnaires proportionately across the stages depending on the total number of pupils at each stage. Pick the names from the alphabetical class list, starting at the foot of each list, missing out pupils at regular intervals until the required total is reached. For example, where 10 are to be sampled from a class of 30, select every third name.
Guidance to help administer the pupil questionnaire is set out on the next page so that you can make a copy available for each teacher involved.
Guidance for administering the pupil questionnaire
The pupil questionnaire should be completed by a sample of children in primary stages P4-P7 and in secondary S1-S6. Please issue the written questionnaire if it is appropriate to do so.
Please give your pupils the following details.
• General information from parents and carers, teaching and staff not directly involved in teaching and pupil questionnaires is being collected in your school. It is important that pupils give their own views about the school - their views are valued. The views of parents and carers, staff and pupils can be used to make the school better.
• The questionnaire should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.
• Read each statement in the questionnaire carefully.
• Please tick the answer that best fits your experience of the school.
• Give your own answers - your views count.
• If you are not sure about any answer, or if you want to say a bit more, you can write a note on the blank space on page 2 of the questionnaire.
Note: please explain to children not selected to complete a questionnaire that HM Inspectors take the views of a random sample. Where pupils indicate a particular request to complete a questionnaire, they should be allowed to do so. We have enclosed a small supply of questionnaires marked “additional sample”.
Administration
Please make sure that pupils have privacy to complete the questionnaires. You should reassure pupils that once they have completed the questionnaire, no-one in the school will see their answers. The Inspectors will not tell anyone about what a pupil has written unless they are worried about the pupil’s safety. In that case they will talk to the pupil and pass on what they have said to someone who can help.
Children should seal their questionnaires into the envelope provided. Please return the envelopes containing the completed questionnaires to the school office. They will be posted to HMIE in the pre paid envelope(s) provided.
For some pupils with additional support needs you may wish to provide a member of staff or senior pupil to read the questionnaire to the pupil. If it is a teacher, it should not be the usual class teacher. The Managing Inspector would welcome your views on this matter and, in case of doubt, would be happy to discuss arrangements with the school.
Children and readers should be given instructions and assurances about anonymity. The reader should give instructions and read questions clearly and in a neutral tone. Care should be taken not to influence the children’s answers.
Please thank pupils for completing the questionnaire.