Feedback to parents on survey findings
Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet
December 2024
This is an independent summary of the main findings from the online parent survey undertaken by RSAcademics on behalf of Queen Elizabeth’s School in Autumn 2024 We would like to extend our grateful thanks to all parents and guardians who took the time to respond to the survey
The aim of the survey was to find out what Queen Elizabeth’s (QE) parents value about the school, to gauge their attitudes to a wide range of aspects of school life, and to understand where parents would like to see the school develop in the future. The survey was broadly similar in structure to the survey conducted for QE in 2019, therefore, it also provides the opportunity to assess progress over time.
Almost 880 parents and guardians responded to the online survey, which represents 69% of QE families. This is an excellent response rate and exceeds the RSAcademics’ benchmark for other senior schools we have surveyed; we are, therefore, confident that the survey results are robust.
Summary of findings
Queen Elizabeth’s School continues to be highly valued by its parents for the excellence of its academic provision, and where students are challenged to achieve their very best through the highest quality of teaching.
Parents feel that results are outstanding, facilities excellent, and their sons enjoy a well-rounded education where the school’s approach to discipline is much appreciated. Leadership of the school together with day-to-day organisation and management are also felt to be very strong.
Overall, this is a very strong survey: there are no significant causes of dissatisfaction, and the school significantly outperforms our key benchmarks. Across the spectrum of the school’s provision, parents rate QE strongly; accordingly, the school also exceeds the RSAcademics’ senior and secondary school benchmark for the vast majority of the 44 features pertaining to school life which were rated by parents
There are, of course, areas which parents feel could be further enhanced but generally these are already well rated. Overall, students are happy, well cared for and taught well. Satisfaction is, therefore, high and the overwhelming majority of QE parents would not hesitate to recommend the school to others.
Survey results
Parent satisfaction and advocacy
Boys of all ages are happy (99%), and Queen Elizabeth’s School enjoys high levels of satisfaction and advocacy amongst its parents.
The overwhelming majority of parents (97%) would recommend QE to their friends, and 83% (against a benchmark of 64%) of parents would definitely recommend it. Overall, 83% of parents feel either ‘completely’ or ‘very satisfied’ compared to a benchmark of 70% Underpinning this, 93% of QE’s parents feel the school has at least met their expectations, with a very significant proportion (38% vs a benchmark of 26%) saying that it has exceeded their expectation
These very strong ratings from parents are in line with the excellent survey results in 2019. They continue to place QE significantly above the respective RSAcademics’ key performance benchmarks; these are defined as the average score from over 30 senior day schools (mostly independent) recently surveyed.
Image, values and drivers of choice
Most families considered QE based on a combination of pre-existing reputational awareness and word-of-mouth recommendation. Families were attracted to QE for its approach to education, founded upon high academic standards, focus on discipline and the provision of a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
Visits were a significant final influence, and QE was the first choice for virtually all parents, half of whom considered no other school. The admissions experience was felt to have been good and, although some parents would have liked a little more feedback on how their son was initially progressing, the vast majority felt both they and their son’s had all the information they needed when joining the school.
Having chosen the school, driven to a significant degree by its academic reputation, with their sons now established at QE, parents agree that QE is indeed highly academic, focused on the highest quality of teaching and challenges their sons to achieve their very best.
Much the same as in 2019, parents feel that QE does well in achieving its aims, although some feel that more might be done to recognise students’ talents outside the classroom. Overall, parents feel that QE:
• does well in encouraging their sons to aim high, whilst nurturing traditional values and creating a strong sense of community in which their son is able to achieve his full potential
• has developed a range of qualities and skills within their sons such as being responsible, independent and self-disciplined, although a little more could perhaps be done to foster teamwork and develop strong leadership.
Rating the school’s provision
In line with the 2019 survey, parents remain extremely happy with QE’s educational provision – most particularly the academic provision. Elizabethan’s achieve excellent results; QE is well managed and is considered to be a safe and pastorally strong environment where traditional values are upheld.
The school is positively endorsed across a broad range of features encompassing the full spectrum of its provision. Particularly well rated are:
• Teachingandlearning– all areas relating to academic provision, in particular public exam performance, the quality of teaching and the stretch and challenge provided.
• Pastoralcare– again all areas perform very strongly and benchmark very well Pupils from all backgrounds are welcomed and respected and the school provides a safe environment. Parents are impressed with the approach to discipline, behaviour and pupil appearance. Parents also mention their children have been suitably supported when they have needed help.
• Leadership,administrationandtheschool’sfacilities – are all also exceptionally highly rated; the school is felt to be well managed.
Benchmarked against other senior or secondary schools – most of which are fee paying – QE performed very well in most areas of school life. In all, 35 of the 44 features rated by parents significantly outperformed their respective benchmarks. This is a very strong overall performance. Against this backdrop, while no areas rated poorly, the following areas rated less well in relative terms:
• Provision of food
• The approachability of staff (to parents)
• Although music was extremely well rated, the provision for other creative and performing arts is felt by parents to be less good.
Areas for future focus
Having rated the school’s provision, parents were also asked to highlight areas where they would like to see the school continue to focus time, energy or investment in the future.
Although some areas for enhancement were highlighted, generally parents’ comments pertaining to these, focus upon on maintaining traction in areas of existing strength and continuing to build on QE’s existing excellent academic provision:
• Teachingandlearning – academic provision at QE is rated highly and benchmarks very well, but reflecting the value placed on this aspect of provision, overall well over a third of parents picked one or more key academic area for ongoing focus. In particular, ‘teachers’ ability to inspire’ and the ‘range of academic subjects’ were each selected by 20% of parents for focus. The vast majority of parents strongly endorse both areas: over 85% of parents rated them both as good or very good. Some parents, however, feel that teaching quality can be inconsistent, with some excellent teachers, while there are others who are reputed to be less so. Some parents are also unhappy about the lack of computer science, or its derivatives, as an option at GCSE and A-level.
• Academic feedback – although 80% of parents rate the feedback they receive on their son’s progress as good or very good, around 20% of parents picked this and/or the feedback (or marking) their child receives directly from teachers as an area for focus. This appears to be linked to the relatively low parental ratings for the approachability of staff noted in the prior section Parents do not find staff ‘unapproachable’ per se, but comments suggest there is uncertainty surrounding with whom to communicate, a desire to be able to communicate individually with teachers, and concerns that the centralised communication system can result in delayed or, occasionally, a lack of response.
• Provision of food – food provision was less well rated by parents with ca. 65% of parents rating it good or very good. Accordingly, close to a quarter of parents pick this area for improvement Feedback suggests a desire for the menu range to be extended to contain hot halal and more vegetarian options and an overall improvement in the quality of the food. Parents would also like a dry, undercover area for those students who bring in packed lunches, to eat them.
• Careers anduniversity advice – while not a priority for all and both rated significantly above our benchmark, around 20% of parents in Years 10, 11 and 12 would like to see greater and earlier provision of careers and university advice
Planning for the future
Looking ahead, when asked to indicate which skills are the most critical for a school to provide pupils to best prepare them for life after school, parents identify skills in communication, independent thinking and learning and leadership as most critical Linked to this, while the school is already felt to do a very good job, some parents think there remains greater scope for personal development, and in particular providing the boys with more leadership and teamwork opportunities.
In conclusion
Parents highly regard QE for outstanding academic provision where boys are taught exceptionally well and challenged to reach their full potential. The school is strongly endorsed by the vast majority of parents: their sons are happy, they are satisfied and would have no hesitation to recommend QE to others.
While, of course, there are areas where parents would like to see the school focus future resources, the primary area – academics - is within the context of maintaining and building on the school’s already strong provision
““Fantasticschoolwhere bothmyboysarehealthy, happyandthriving.Can't thankQEenough:)”
““Iamdelightedwiththeschoolandlookforward toQEbringingoutthebestofmysonboth academicallyandasayoungadultthathas roundedinterestsandcanholdhisownsocially.”
WrittenbyCarolineWood,SeniorConsultant,RSAcademicsLtd December2024
Pleasenotethatallresponsesremaintotallyconfidentialandanonymous. Althoughquotationshavebeenused aspartofthisfeedback,theyarerepresentativeandcannotbeattributedbytheschooloranyparentstoan individual.