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School & Parent FAQs

School FAQs

We’ve put together a list of FAQs to help make sure you have all the information you need. Have a look below to see if we can help, and if you still have questions, please contact your local programme team.

General FAQs

What is #BeeWell?

#BeeWell is a free programme for secondary schools across Greater Manchester and Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton, that focuses on improving young people’s wellbeing and understanding the factors that influence their wellbeing. Click here to find out more.

Who can participate in #BeeWell?

All secondary schools across Greater Manchester and Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton are eligible to participate in #BeeWell. This includes independent schools and non-mainstream schools/alternative provisions. If you work at a school and would like to sign up, please email us at beewell@manchester.ac.uk for Greater Manchester, or  hiow.beewell@hants.gov.uk for Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth & Southampton.

What does the #BeeWell survey measure?

The survey measures drivers and domains of wellbeing:

Domains

  • Meaning, Purpose and Control
  • Understanding Yourself
  • Emotions

Drivers

  • Health and Routines
  • Hobbies and Entertainment
  • Relationships
  • School
  • Environment and Society
  • Future (GM only)
  • Wellbeing Support (HIPS only)
How do the students complete the survey?

The survey is completed online in school and should take 20 to 30 minutes to complete. We recommend reserving one lesson where students will have access to individual computers or laptops. Find out more about delivering the survey.

Who has access to the data that students provide?

A research team based at The University of Manchester will have access to identifiable participant-level data. Members of the research team have been trained in Information Security and Data Governance. The data dashboard system available to schools and local authorities will use aggregated data that will not allow identification of individual students’ data. School results and reports are never shared with local authorities or other third parties.

What happens after submitting the surveys?

After the survey closes, the #BeeWell team clean and prepare the submitted data ready for the feedback reporting stage of the annual cycle. Private reports will be shared with each participating school at the end of January/beginning of February. At this point, support from the Child Outcomes Research Consortium (part of the Anna Freud Centre) will also be available to help schools interpret and act on their feedback reports.

Does this research have ethical approval?

Yes. #BeeWell was reviewed and approved by The University of Manchester’s Research Ethics Committee (reference 2021-11133-18179).

Is the research GDPR compliant?

Yes – you can read our GDPR notice here. It outlines the data we will hold, the legal basis for processing these data, how data will be stored and shared, and the rights of data subjects.

What will survey feedback reports for schools provide and how are they useful?

Schools with more than 10 responses to the standard version of our survey receive bespoke, aggregated feedback via our dynamic online dashboard which enables:

  • The ability to view your school’s results alongside those of your ‘statistical neighbours’ (other schools with similar profiles of size, free school meal eligibility, and ethnic diversity, among other factors).
  • Data visualisations (such as stacked bar charts and funnel plots) and data tables to support interpretation and, if a school chooses, sharing of the results publicly or among students or student councils.
  • The ability to explore data trends at different levels of granularity (e.g. year group, gender, free school meal eligibility, special educational needs, and combinations thereof).
  • The ability to compare, side by side, the scores of different groups (e.g. boys vs girls, year groups) which may support the planning of targeted responses.
Do schools get information from the measures for individual pupils, or for the population, or both?

Schools can access data at a population-level (and various groups of their pupil population – for example, boys and girls, different year groups) through our online data dashboard. The aggregated information on the dashboard will not allow teachers or schools to identify individual pupils’ responses. All outputs in the dashboard represent at least 10 pupils.

If the survey flagged that a child was having mental health or wellbeing difficulties, how does this link to support for young people?

The #BeeWell survey is not intended to be used as a screening tool to identify individuals in need of support, and schools will not receive feedback about individual pupils. As a result, individual survey scores will not be used as a basis for determining support for young people. #BeeWell uses aggregated data to flag areas of strength and difficulty across the student population (and subgroups, such as those eligible for free school meals).

Has any provision been made for supporting children should they be adversely affected by having to consider these questions?

A distress (support) protocol is provided to the school staff who are facilitating the completion of the survey. In addition, the survey will signpost pupils towards sources of support (such as parents or guardians, school staff, Childline) if they feel adversely affected. Pupils can also choose to withdraw from completing the survey at any point.

What happens if our school has lower than 10 responses?

We recognise that we have schools and settings where there may be less than 10 responses completed due to the size of the school and in some provisions, a fluid student population. By supporting #BeeWell, you will be supporting the wellbeing of young people across the region as your survey results will be included in the neighbourhood dashboard (no school will be identifiable within this dashboard).

Unfortunately, with a smaller number of responses we are unable to provide a bespoke report for the school as this would compromise the anonymity of students’ answers. However, for you to benefit from the programme some additional outcomes are provided:

• A report will be created for each type of non-mainstream setting in the region (e.g. PRU, SEMH) provided we have enough schools involved in #BeeWell to ensure individual schools cannot be identified from the data.

• We may be able to provide additional reporting, such as by provider or trust. This will depend on the number of schools involved – please get in touch for further information.

Is #BeeWell accessible to special schools and alternative provisions?

#BeeWell wants to work with all schools to hear the voices of students. There is a shorter version and a symbol version of the survey available your students can access. Please see here for further information.

Implementing the survey

Are paper copies of the pupil survey available?

No. The survey is only available via our secure, online survey platform (powered by Qualtrics). The scale of #BeeWell makes paper surveys impractical in terms of cost and environmental considerations.

What is the staff commitment needed for completing the survey and engaging in the project?

Each participating school needs a nominated #BeeWell lead who will act as our primary point of contact and be responsible for co-ordinating project participation. Schools can choose to get involved with additional #BeeWell activities for staff and pupils.

How do pupils access the survey?

Pupils access the survey online using a unique password. The list of passwords is provided to teachers in advance. The survey is accessed online on computers or laptops in schools.

How do I explain the survey to my pupils?

Schools will receive documentation with a standardised set of instructions that explains the survey to pupils (including PowerPoint slides and an explanatory video) and a guide for staff.

How long will it take for pupils to complete the survey on average?

On average, our survey takes 20 to 30 minutes to complete online. We recommend reserving one lesson.

Can the survey be completed on an iPad/tablet or phone?

Yes. The survey is online and so can be accessed on an iPad/tablet, or phone. However, we recommend using a desktop computer or laptop.

Is it okay for staff to support pupils while they are completing the survey, such as those with English as an additional language or those with a lower reading age/understanding?

Yes. We will provide a set of standardised instructions for school staff with recommendations for how pupils requiring additional support can participate fully.

How is the survey being developed?

The #BeeWell survey has been co-created with young people across Greater Manchester and Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton through a series of workshops.

During these workshops, young people explain what wellbeing means to them, what factors influence their wellbeing, and what helps them thrive. The outcomes from the workshops are then combined with input from a Questionnaire Advisory Group of young people, academics, mental health professionals, healthcare and youth-engagement representatives, parents, and teachers to inform the development of the survey.

Do pupils have to take part?

No, parents and carers can opt out of the survey using the forms provided. Each pupil also has the option to opt out at the start of the survey. Pupils can also choose to not answer any question.

Who will see the results for my school?

Only your school will receive access to its aggregated results. Staff in other schools, or any other entity, will be unable to identify your school or any individual pupils within the data.

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