Student Voice
At the end of the 2022-2023 academic year, we conducted Student Voice Surveys across Years 7 to 10 to identify how we can support their academic progress and personal wellbeing more effectively moving forward. A summary of the key findings can be found below as well as a list of actions we have taken as a result. Please note: this list will be updated as part of an ongoing action plan.
Student Reports:
The sections below outline the top three answers about what students would like additional support with, specific skills they would like more information on, as well as steps they are currently taking to support themselves.
Year 7
Want more support with...
Emotional wellbeing
Skills for life
Academic work
Requested resources about...
Ideas to improve diet
Accessing sports in school
Developing mindfulness or meditation skills
Taking actions such as...
Seeking parent / guardian advice
Seeking teacher advice
Completing extra work outside class
Year 8
Want more support with...
Careers
Skills for life
Emotional wellbeing
Requested resources about...
Accessing counselling
Increasing sleep quality
Accessing sports in school
Taking actions such as...
Seeking parent / guardian advice
Completing extra work outside class
Asking teachers about how to progress in the subject
Year 9
Want more support with...
Skills for life
Careers
Emotional wellbeing
Requested resources about...
Ideas to improve diet
Increasing sleep quality
Developing mindfulness or meditation skills
Taking actions such as...
Seeking parent / guardian advice
Asking teachers about how to progress in the subject
Using revision guides
Year 10
Want more support with...
Skills for life
Emotional wellbeing
Study skills
Requested resources about...
Developing mindfulness or meditation skills
Increasing sleep quality
Ideas to improve diet
Taking actions such as...
Completing extra work
Seeking parent / guardian advice
Using revision guides
Common Trends:
Skills and Commitments
Decrease in proportion of students allocating time to skills and commitments as they progress from Year 7 to 10
Phone usage
Increase in proportion of students spending more than 6 hours on their phone daily. Concerningly, only a minority of students asked for strategies to reduce daily screen time.
Action Plan:
Based on the above results, we have created a list of steps to support our students' needs. These will be regularly monitored, evaluated, and updated depending on the effectiveness of new strategies.
What have we already done?
Shared practical strategies to promote emotional and psychological wellbeing in CAPE lessons on significant events throughout the year
Signposted sources of support (both within and out of school) at the end of each CAPE lesson, and through 'Wellbeing Cards' which can be collected from pastoral offices
Shared results of the Student Voice Surveys with key department areas as well as the the careers team so they inform their department goals
Created MindCare@Appleton to provide a student friendly platform which they can use to access wellbeing resources that suit their needs, along with a positive habit building section in 'Positivity Hub'
Deliver workshops by external speakers on popularly requested topics such as financial life skills by HSBC, mental health workshops for students who asked for support with emotional wellbeing
Introduced a wellbeing update in the parent bulletin so students can practice recommended strategies with the support of their parents / carers / guardians
Introduced 'Wellbeing Drop-Ins' every Monday Week B in 601
What are we planning?
Planning a potential educational visit for CAPE (details tbc)
Share practical strategies to promote wellbeing more regularly throughout the school year