In last year’s comprehensive student voice survey, which involved nearly 800 students from last year’s KS3 and Year 10 and 12 year groups, more students than ever rated the school as significantly improved in key areas.

Student responses demonstrated this by an average increase of 1.9% from 2020 and 5.9% from 2019 in stating:

• I am making good progress at this school.
• I am taught well at this school.
• The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.
• The school is well led and managed.

In 11 of the 12 categories students were questioned about, significant improvements were noted over the last two years by an average increase of 4.3%.

91% of students stated that they strongly agreed or agreed that they felt safe and were making good progress.

Nearly 90% stated that they strongly agreed or agreed that they were happy, well looked after, taught well and that the school was well led and managed.

Year 7 student comments included the following:

• I love all the people at the school, they are all well behaved and friendly.
• The teachers try to make the lessons fun so that students want to learn the subjects more.
• CDC time is really great.
• I highly recommend the school.
• I think the school is great in most ways.
• I think the school is doing a very good job in everything.
• The food is amazing.
• I really like Bushey Meads.
• The school helps everyone in different ways, it has been good and friendly.
• I feel safe in school because there are lots of staff you can speak to.
• It is a good school.
• This is a very good school and I like it here.
• I think this school is really good.
• I think this school is a great school. There’s nothing negative.

Year 8 student comments included the following:

• The school is nice and helpful.
• The school does exceptionally well and I really like the school.
• I certainly feel that I have made progress in this school.
• I’ve felt well looked after.
• People are friendly and my sister and I have never had any concerns about bullying, nor have we heard of such from classmates or friends.

Year 9 student comments included the following:

• The IT department are especially hard working.
• You learn loads and have fun.
• Teachers here look after pupils.
• The school does make sure that all students are well behaved.
• I have never experienced bullying in this school.

Year 10 student comments included the following:

• The school sets fair rules in place.
• In the majority of lessons I am taught well.
• This school is my favourite school.
• The teachers are so kind to me and they help me with any work that I can’t do.
• The school gives helpful revision tools for my PPEs this summer.

Year 12 student comments included the following:

• I always look forward to going to school.
• Staff are very friendly.
• Bullying and behaviour is dealt with very well.
• I have seen students’ behaviour improve a lot over the years which is great to see.
• I receive information about my progress.
• The teachers are very capable at teaching.
• I haven’t experienced bullying here.

As well as making such positive comments, students in all year groups also made many helpful suggestions for ways that staff and leaders could improve the school. Many of these have already been implemented and will be worked on throughout this year.

Student voice continues to play an important part in our school improvement journey and the views of all students continue to be taken very seriously and help to make Bushey Meads School better year on year.