School health and welfare surveys

7 February 2022

Dear 

ATISN 15943

Thank you for your request which I received on 10 January 2022. You asked for:

This is an information request relating the existence of health and wellbeing surveys in the Welsh education system.
 
Please include the following information for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021:

• Whether there are, or have been, any health and wellbeing surveys in schools, whether primary or secondary
• A copy of each of these surveys
• The cost of producing each individual survey
• The number of schools in Wales which are using or have used these surveys

The School Health Research Network’s (SHRN) Student Health and Wellbeing Survey takes place in secondary schools every two years. Data collection for the 2019/20 survey wave was undertaken in September – December 2019. Data collection for the 2021/22 survey wave was undertaken in September – December 2021. 

A feasibility study is being undertaken on the expansion of SHRN and the Student Health and Wellbeing Survey to primary schools. As part of this work, a pilot Student Health and Wellbeing Survey was undertaken with year 6 students in primary schools in April – July 2021.

A copy of each of these surveys

Copies of the following survey questionnaires are attached:

• 2019/20 Student Health and Wellbeing Survey in secondary schools
• 2021/22 Student Health and Wellbeing Survey in secondary schools
• 2021 pilot Student Health and Wellbeing Survey with year 6 students

The cost of producing each individual survey

We do not hold this information. However, we can provide the following information on funding the Welsh Government has provided to SHRN for work related to the survey.

Our funding for the Student Health and Wellbeing Survey in secondary schools contributes towards survey development, administration, analysis and dissemination.

Our funding for the feasibility study on expansion of SHRN and the Student Health and Wellbeing Survey to primary schools is for the overall study, not only the pilot survey element.

The number of schools in Wales which are using or have used these surveys

Since 2017, all maintained, mainstream secondary schools in Wales have been part of SHRN and all are invited to participate in the survey.

• In the 2019/20 survey wave, 210 schools were invited to participate (205 maintained schools and five independent schools). In total, 198 schools participated. This information is provided in a national report on the survey.

• We do not yet have information on how many schools participated in the 2021/22 survey wave. However, this information will be published in a report on the survey, which will be available in due course.

In total, 76 schools participated in the 2021 pilot survey with year 6 students. This information is provided in a report on the survey.

If you are dissatisfied with the Welsh Government’s handling of your request, you can ask for an internal review within 40 working days of the date of this response. Requests for an internal review should be addressed to the Welsh Government’s Freedom of Information Officer at:

Information Rights Unit 
Welsh Government
Cathays Park 
Cardiff 
CF10 3NQ 

or e-mail: Freedom.ofinformation@gov.wales

Please remember to quote the ATISN reference number above.    

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office 
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane 
Wilmslow 
Cheshire 
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk         

However, please note that the Commissioner will not normally investigate a complaint until it has been through our own internal review process.

Yours sincerely