We carry out a questionnaire for parents each year and this provides excellent feedback for us to discuss with staff, senior teams, school council and governors to see how we might improve the school and make school even more fabulous for the children. The Head teacher feeds back in the school newsletter the results and what we have done to rectify key themes.
Parent Questionnaire Summer 2025
Thanks to everyone who completed the Parent Questionnaire which was sent to parent/carer of 23rd May 2025 and closed on Friday 4th July 2025. We take all your comments very seriously and rely on your feedback on how best to improve the school policy and practices. See below the results and key actions as outlined in the school newsletter in late Summer 2025 and early Autumn 2025.
Neutral Responses Wanted
You said: you would like questions to have a neutral option as the responses available did
not always cover what they wanted to say.
We will: make sure that the next questionnaire will include a neutral option for respondents.
Untidy Top Field
You said: Some of the school site is untidy and needs clearing up, especially the top field.
We will: make sure we have a really big tidy up this summer and make sure that all the larger debris and chairs are removed from the top field. Some of this has already been achieved however we are going to need a little more time to complete this project. Due to lettings and the wind, litter is an ongoing problem on the top field, whereas clearance of the lower field is much easier and less often required.
Examples Not Wanted
You said: some questions were heavily weighted in the positive and possibly did not need all the examples after the question.
We will: continue to include the examples we already have in school as sometimes parents forget what options are available. For example a question on communication includes reminders of all the current communication systems used to contact you, in case you did not know. We will try to rewrite some questions which imply any bias - although we are using mostly standard Ofsted questions.
SEND Concerns
You said: There were some concerns over SEND plans and SEND provision.
We will: take your emails and enquiries very seriously and respond to you, however please do not wait for a questionnaire to air concerns over your child's SEND provision - please get in touch with school immediately and we will get back to you as soon as possible. If you do not hear back from us please call the school office.
Tidying the School Site
You said that some areas of the school were looking untidy and unkempt and we fully agree. The summer has been a hive of activity and we have filled and sent off two full skips of unwanted equipment and chairs. The upper and lower field have been tidied and a vast number of maintenance jobs have been fulfilled including repairing and repainting steps, we have put in additional lighting from the main office reception to the to the main gate to help with poor visibility in the winter and we plan to do more from the main gate up into the playground as the days get shorter and winter approaches. We have had all the PE equipment refurbished and re-certified as safe and we have big plans to improve the woodland area behind the Year 6 block - details to follow.
Does your child enjoy school?
We asked if your children enjoyed school 97% agreed that they did with 66.7% strongly agreeing which is good to know. If your child does not enjoy school then please get in touch with your child's teacher to see what it is that is not engaging them - admittedly some children would prefer to be on their PlayStation all day but learning and getting equipped for the future is going to need some efforts by us as parents and teachers.
The school keeps my child safe
The response for this was 100% agree with 67% agreeing strongly. This again is a good indicator of a culmination of all the methods and systems we have in place in school to keep the children safe. With safeguarding so high on the agenda we have kept this at the forefront of all our lessons, activities and trips.
Making good progress at school
92.4% of you said you agreed. For the 7.6% who did not agree please make sure you mention your concerns to your child's teacher, ensure you are hearing them read and checking their reading records, and support us in ensuring their homework is completed on time. In the recent welcome meetings it has been a good opportunity to remind parents and carers about the commitments that need to be made to reading and the homework toy ensure access to the curriculum and to reinforce key concepts in their homework.
Healthy Lifestyle
Following on from the feedback in the parent/carer questionnaire - we asked if the school educates your child to live a healthy lifestyle. The response was very positive with 98.5% agreeing (with 36.4% strongly agreeing). With healthy schools ideas running throughout the school, the sports and the curriculum we feel that we are managing to get a healthy lifestyle message across in practical, personal and cross -curricular ways. The new orienteering planning and resourcing across the school site has been particularly successful and thanks to our geography lead Mr Taylor for implementing that. Training in orienteering last academic year also helped. As a school we have submitted our Healthy Schools Award bid, (thanks to Miss Hill and Ms Gough) for collating that and we are awaiting a response to that application. In the comments section you noted that not-so-healthy foods are available at school events, things like cakes, burgers and ice cream. Much as we appreciate this, these food items are typically the things people want to purchase at school fairs and gatherings.
Progress Reporting
We believe the end-of-year report provides a clearer, more meaningful picture of your child’s progress than three shorter termly reports. This allows teachers to reflect on the full academic journey, celebrating achievements and identifying areas for development with greater depth and accuracy. Importantly, there are three formal opportunities across the year for you to meet with your child’s class teacher. If at any point your child is not meeting expected standards, we will contact you directly and explain the support systems in place. We are committed to early intervention and transparency— one of my well known mantras is 'no surprises at parents’ evening'. If you have concerns about your child’s progress or provision, please do not hesitate to contact the class teacher via the school office. Appointments can be arranged in person or by phone for more detailed discussions. Your child’s maths targets are clearly visible in their maths books, and teachers are expected to keep you informed throughout the year. Our aim is to work in partnership with you to ensure every child thrives.
Expectations to Work Hard and Do Their Best
We asked parents tell us if they thought we expect their child to work hard and do their best- 93.9% agreed (with 43.9% agreeing strongly). This is a powerful endorsement of the high expectations our teaching staff set every day in the classroom. It reflects the consistent message we give to children: that effort, perseverance, and pride in their work matter. We are equally pleased that children themselves are reporting they are trying hard and feel they are doing well—this shows that our expectations are not only clear but also motivating and achievable. Such feedback is more than just a statistic—it is a testament to the strong partnership between home and school, and to the culture of aspiration and confidence that we are building together. Thank you for your continued support in helping every child thrive.
Rich and Curriculum Range
We asked parents if they felt that their child got a good range of curriculum activities and lessons in school and 98.5% agreed (with 51.5% agreeing strongly). One of the things we’re most proud of at Wallace Fields Juniors is the richness and variety of our curriculum. From exciting trips and inspiring visitors to creative projects and performances, we work hard to make sure learning is never confined to the classroom walls. In fact, barely a week goes by without something special happening—whether it is a workshop, a presentation, or a hands-on experience that brings learning to life. This term, we asked parents about the impact of these experiences, and we were thrilled to see such a positive response. It’s incredibly reassuring to know that the effort our staff put into making lessons fun, engaging, and memorable is being felt and appreciated—not just by the children, but by families too. These activities are not just enjoyable—they are powerful. They spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and help children connect their learning to the wider world. We will continue to invest in this approach, because we believe that when children are excited by what they are learning, they thrive.
Homework
Homework is a means of reinforcing the concepts taught in class each week. All teachers take time to explain homework tasks thoroughly, ensuring that pupils understand what is expected of them. Homework preparation supports learning and helps children consolidate their understanding. For those who wish to extend their thinking, teachers also provide challenges and extension activities. We use Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) to track the completion and success of maths homework tasks. This platform allows us to monitor progress and identify areas where further support may be needed. Teachers check and respond to all homework, and if a task is not completed to a satisfactory level, it will be reassigned to ensure understanding. We revisited the homework process during our Tea Parties this week, and we hope this helped clarify how homework is managed. Feedback from parents shows that around 80% are happy with the current approach, while 10% feel there is too much and 10% feel there is not enough. We continue to review and refine our homework practices to best support our children's learning.
Please find attached the summary of previous pupil and parent questionnaires. Parents, pupils and staff participated in an Autism Friendly Audit in September 2025. See the summary of the results and key changes below.