A message from the Principal
Student Attitudes to School Survey
As a school, we are constantly collecting feedback and looking at data to understand our strengths and areas for improvement. This data includes indicators of student learning but also includes the views of our key stakeholders - parents, staff and, our most important customers, our students.
One of the key data sets used by the school to judge school performance and progress is the annual Attitudes to School Survey (AToSS).
This is a lengthy survey completed by all students in Years 4, 5 and 6 which provides quantitative data on a number of areas including teaching and learning, school climate, school safety, teacher empathy, relationships, and connection to school. Recently it has also begun to include a section more about general health and wellbeing.
AToSS is completed at every government school in Victoria and the results are reported in our Annual Report to the School Community.
Whilst we are incredibly proud of the very positive data we receive from similar parent and staff surveys and our consistently strong student learning data, for the last few years, our AToSS data has been 'the odd one out' as the feedback provided by our students has not always been quite as positive.
Question data from the Attitudes to School Survey form a part of our School Strategic Plan and Annual Implementation Plan goals and so we closely monitor it when it arrives and ensure that we spent time working with the students to understand the survey and questions and to encourage them to take it seriously.
Last week we received the preliminary data for our 2023 AToSS and initial reactions are very positive. We have shown an increase in positive responses in almost all areas.
The increases for many questions are very significant and, pleasingly this is in some of the areas where we have devoted a lot of time and attention in recent years. These includes the areas of teacher concern, voice and agency & managing bullying.
Focus Area/Question | 2022 percentage positive result | 2023 percentage positive result | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
My teacher tells us what we are learning and why | 72% | 84% | 12% |
My teacher understands how I learn | 62% | 70% | 8% |
My teacher sets clear rules for classroom behaviour | 88% | 93% | 5% |
My teacher believes that I can do well at school | 79% | 88% | 9% |
My teacher cares about how I am feeling | 69% | 79% | 10% |
My teacher seems to know if something is bothering me | 43% | 65% | 22% |
I am good at learning | 66% | 76% | 10% |
I try again when I don't succeed | 76% | 86% | 10% |
I ask my teacher for help when I find my work difficult | 64% | 76% | 12% |
I am happy to be at this school | 82% | 86% | 4% |
At this school, I help decide things like class activities or rules | 46% | 65% | 19% |
I have a say in the things I learn | 45% | 64% | 19% |
At this school, there is a teacher or another adult who cares about me | 68% | 85% | 17% |
We do not yet have the data comparing these responses to other schools and state averages but, even on this initial reading, we feel that the hard work of our staff is having an impact in the right areas and are very proud of these results.
Neil Scott
Principal