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As a former teacher, headteacher and Trust leader, I know the defining role schools play in the lives of children and young people. As Children’s Commissioner, I’ve seen the fantastic job teachers are doing – something that children themselves often tell me about. 

Schools are not just simply places where children learn, but also where they make lasting friendships, acquire vital life skills, experience new hobbies and meet adults that shape their aspirations. 

For many, they are also places where their wellbeing and mental health is supported, where they have respite from chaotic home lives, or where they feel most safe.  

Anecdotally, we know that many schools are providing this kind of pastoral care, from providing free or discounted uniform, food provision, to classroom adaptations and mental health care.  

But if we are to create a school system that is properly resourced and funded to meet the needs of every child, we need a bank of irrefutable evidence about what’s going on in England’s schools. We need up-to-date information about children’s school experiences and the multiple ways they are supported by their teachers and school leaders, to drive improvements in government policy.  

That’s why back in September I have launched my School Survey, the biggest survey of schools and colleges ever carried out in England.  

It’s the first time I am using my statutory powers as Children’s Commissioner to collect data from schools and colleges on such a large scale. These powers make it compulsory for a school to respond before the end of this school term.    

Let me be clear: this is not a ranking exercise for schools or an accountability measure: it is the best way to build up a proper picture of what’s happening on the ground. Responses will be analysed carefully and anonymised before publication next year. It isn’t intended to be burdensome, nor will it be a judgement on the quality or content of their response.  

Instead, my survey seeks answers from school leaders about the myriad ways they care for and support their students, in and outside of the classroom. It will explore the characteristics or vulnerabilities of pupils, including children with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), young carers or those with a parent or carer in prison.  

It asks questions on the in-class adaptations for specific groups of children with additional needs and the the variety of specialist staff employed by institutions.  

It will highlight good practice, the barriers faced to improving children’s lives, and it will provide an opportunity for schools to directly tell me about issues that concern them. 

The aim of the survey is to better understand the role schools play in children’s development – it will also help shape my recommendations to government to create a school system which can confidently meet every child’s needs.  

I know what a huge and fundamental role schools are playing in children’s lives – responses to The Big Ask and The Big Ambition prove this. ‘School’ was the most common word in children’s responses, underpinning its importance in children’s lives. The majority of children told The Big Ambition that they enjoyed being in school, and children were grateful for their brilliant teachers – with nearly three quarters agreeing they had teachers who supported them.  

But just one in five children and young people who responded to The Big Ambition survey, published in March, said they felt adults running the country listened to their views. Since then, I have focused on bringing children’s voices to politicians and policy makers to make sure their experiences are reflected in the decisions made by those in charge.  

I’ve heard from a million children and young people, who have told me about their hopes and ambitions for the future, as well as their concerns. If we are to create a school system that is as ambitious for children as they are for themselves, we need to know the full scale of the challenges and opportunities school leaders, teachers and support staff face daily.  

As Children’s Commissioner, I am determined to use my role to make sure every child has the chance to reach their full potential. I am eager to take the responses from every school in England to the government so that we can be confident that decisions reflect children’s lived experiences.  

More information about the survey is already online. Any staff member can contribute to responses to the School Survey, though Senior Leadership Teams (SLT) or Designated Safeguarding Leads will most likely be the best placed to answer all questions.