NSW Public Schools Student Survey
The student survey provides school leaders with insights into student engagement, learning experiences and wellbeing at school.
About the student survey
The department runs the survey to provide schools with valuable feedback from students about their experiences at their school. The survey covers a range of topics, including student engagement, learning experiences and wellbeing at school, and is one way in which students can have a voice about their time at school. The data can support schools in their planning, reporting and excellence. This includes helping to identify strengths and areas for improvement, assess how current initiatives are going and inform future programs.
The survey also allows the department to observe trends and shape effective policies and programs so that each student is known, valued and cared for in line with Our Plan for NSW Public Education.
Schools survey their students each year during the survey window in Term 2. In 2025, the department will provide school leaders with the results of the student survey in Term 3.
Who can take the student survey?
Students in Years 3 to 12 can take part in the survey in participating schools.
How does it work?
Students complete the survey online at school during school hours. It takes around 10 to 15 minutes for students to fill out the survey. The survey is confidential, meaning students cannot be identified. To further protect student confidentiality, the department will not provide results if a school has fewer than 5 responses to a question for any student grouping.
If parents do not want their child to complete the survey, they are welcome to fill out the opt-out consent form. Schools will provide parents with the form before running the student survey in Term 2. Parents must return the form to the school.
Is the survey accessible?
The survey includes accessibility features to help students, including:
- Accessibility standards: the survey platform meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to support access to the survey for a wide range of students.
- Text-to-speech support: this feature reads the questions and answers aloud for students who need or prefer audio help.
- Plain English questions: the questions use simple language and have been checked by teachers and principals to ensure they are clear for students with different reading levels.
- Help text: some questions have additional help text. It gives extra details, explains ideas or provides examples to make things easier for students to understand.
The Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (CESE) is also developing My Say My Way, a pioneering new suite of accessible student voice tools. These tools will collect data on the educational experience, sense of belonging and wellbeing of students with disability and/or complex learning needs. These will be piloted with schools for specific purposes (SSPs) and primary and secondary schools with support units in 2025.
Topics covered in the survey
| Core questions | Rotating questions |
|---|---|
| Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander perspectives and inclusivity | confidence achieving post-school goals |
aspirations and pathways |
cultural background |
bullying |
influences on aspirations and pathways |
classroom management |
mobile phone ban |
connectedness |
personalised learning pathway (only for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students) |
discrimination |
vaping ban |
engagement |
|
explicit teaching |
|
extracurricular activities |
|
feedback |
|
high expectations |
|
| inclusion | |
motivation |
|
school infrastructure |
|
sense of belonging |
|
student voice |
|
supportive adult at school |
|
transitions |
Survey questions
All Department of Education staff can view the survey questions on the intranet.
For a copy of the student survey questions, contact the survey team in CESE schoolsurveys.admin@det.nsw.edu.au.