Ofsted have just introduced a new system. In future, all pupils in schools being inspected will be given a questionnaire to fill out. This includes questions such as “What I like most about my school” and “What I would like to change about my school.”

Secondary school pupils will be presented with 12 statements and asked to indicate whether they strongly agree; agree; disagree; or strongly disagree. The statements include: “I am taught well”; “Pupils in this school behave well” and “Staff treat all pupils fairly and with respect”.

In a recent editorial the Daily Telegraph condemned this idea and compared it to George Orwell’s 1984. It complained that it will increase discipline problems in schools. Do you think it will?

Some Italian schools have introduced questionnaires of the type you mentioned in order to get a feedback from students, though there should be something alike for teachers and the whole staff, too.

This is connected to the fact that each Italian school has its own "Education Offer Project", in which it states what its education objectives are and how it plans to reach them.

What I do not understand in the Ofsted questionnaire statements for secondary school students is the use of the adverb "well": what does it mean exactly when referred to teaching or to social behaviour? I think it could be more useful to define exactly which aspects are to be considered and "judged".

As for the consequences of introducing this type of survey, I think it all depends on the reason why it is adopted and how or for what purpose the results are going to be used.

Sensible schools survey opinion amongst the pupils already. I am not sure filling in a form is however the best way to do this. Better to invite and involve pupil representatives in decision making as a matter of course.

Caterina makes an important point


Most Ofsted iniatives have been used as a stick with which to beat the teachers - I see no reason to think this will be any different