Maidenhead & Windsor

Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Borough schoolchildren are top of the class when it comes to speaking out – it’s official!

Pupils from 34 Windsor and Maidenhead borough schools have proved they really are keen to have their voices heard on a range of issues by taking part in a nationwide survey commissioned by Ofsted – and helping the borough to notch up one of the highest response rates to the survey in the country.

The aim of the online survey – carried out among Windsor and Maidenhead pupils in Years 6, 8 and 10 in schools earlier this year - was to find out what children and young people think about a range of issues related to the government’s Every Child Matters strategy. The strategy aims to make sure that all children are healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve at school, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being.

The overall survey responses are positive, with evidence that young people in the Windsor and Maidenhead borough:

* have high aspirations – with 62% hoping to go on to study at university - significantly higher than the figure of 50% nationally
* feel there is enough to do in the area and that information about activities locally is good
* are happy with their participation in their school’s decision-making process, with 47% saying they had voted in an election at school compared with 43% nationally. 58% of children in Years 8 and 10 think that their views are listened to in the running of the school, compared with 52% nationally.

Cllr Eileen Quick, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead education, said; “I am delighted with the really good response from our schools to this very useful survey.

“It is vitally important that we listen to the voices of our children, and respond to them. This survey provided just that opportunity for them to speak out on a number of issues of importance to them. It is very encouraging to see so many positive views expressed, although we are not complacent.

“We will ensure that we use the information from this survey and continue to listen to the views of our young people - views which will help us to develop the new Children and Young People’s Plan.

“I would like to thank all those schools who took part in this very valuable exercise and for enabling us to reflect the needs of our young people as much as possible in our future planning.”

The information from the Windsor and Maidenhead survey will be used by Ofsted – along with other information – to determine the result of the council’s Annual Performance Assessment (APA) of Children’s Services for this year, due for publication at the end of November.

The Tellus survey will take place every year from now on as part of the APA and will be extended to special schools from next year.

The full results of the survey are available on the Ofsted website at www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/localauthorities

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead