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Benchmark.Pulse

Survey for staff

Leadership and governance visibility

Shows how visible, open and trusted senior leaders and governors are to staff, as evidence for the governing board's self-evaluation. Best run in the summer term. About 5 minutes to complete.

What respondents read first

This survey asks how visible and open senior leaders and governors are, whether decisions are explained, and how confident you feel raising concerns. Governors will use the results in their review of the school. It takes about 5 minutes and is anonymous: the school cannot see who answered, and results are only shown for groups of 10 or more. Written comments are read by the school. If one suggests that a child or an adult may be at risk of harm, including a concern about the conduct of someone who works with children, it goes straight to the school's safeguarding lead and is kept out of the report.
Fig. 1  The opening screen, word for word.

How anonymity works in this survey

  • The school cannot see who answered. Nothing is reported until 10 people have answered.
  • A group, such as one role or one year group, is shown only when 10 or more people in it have answered. Smaller groups are hidden.
  • An answer chosen by fewer than 5 people is hidden, along with enough others that it cannot be worked out by subtraction.
  • Written comments appear only once 10 people have answered.

See the anonymity rules working

The questions

Numbered in the order respondents see them.

Arrange the questions

Respondents choose

Which best describes your role?

  • Teacher (including early career teachers)
  • Support staff (including teaching assistants)
  • Leader (middle or senior)

This places each answer in a group for the report. It is the only question about the person answering.

Senior leadership9

  1. Question 1.

    I have confidence in the senior leadership of this school.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

  2. Question 2.

    In a typical week, how often do you see a member of SLT around the part of the school where you work?

    Choose one

    • Every day
    • Most days
    • Once or twice
    • Less than once a week
  3. Question 3.

    I find senior leaders approachable.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

  4. Question 4.

    When leaders make a decision that affects me, they explain the reasons for it.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

  5. Question 5.

    Leaders are honest with staff about the challenges the school faces.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

  6. Question 6.

    I feel listened to by senior leaders.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

  7. Question 7.

    When staff raise concerns, leaders act on them.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

  8. Question 8.

    I can disagree with a member of SLT without worrying about the consequences.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

  9. Question 16.

    What one thing would help you feel more connected to the people leading this school?

    Write your own answer

Governance3

  1. Question 9.

    I know who the school's governors are.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

  2. Question 10.

    I understand what the governing board is responsible for.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

  3. Question 11.

    Governors seek the views of staff.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

Raising concerns2

  1. Question 12.

    I would feel confident raising a concern about how the school is run.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

  2. Question 13.

    I know how to raise a concern with governors if it is about the headteacher.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

Direction of the school2

  1. Question 14.

    I understand the school's main priorities for this year.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

  2. Question 15.

    I am confident about the direction the school is heading in.

    Agree scale: five points, strongly disagree to strongly agree

Free to run. The full report is £149.

Running it is free and gives you the headline result, with strengths and priorities. The full report adds every chart, comments grouped into themes and briefing slides.

Start this survey free

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Run this survey today, free.

Sign in with your school email. No password and no card needed. You choose whether to pay after it closes.

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