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What is the School and College Panel?
The School and College Panel (SCP) enables the Department for Education (DfE) to understand the views and experiences of senior leaders and teachers in primary and secondary schools and in colleges.
The SCP is vital research that informs DfE policies and ensures they have an up-to-date picture of the rapidly changing education landscape.
The SCP is an online panel, run by IFF Research, which involves regular, short online surveys on topical education issues.
We have highlighted some of the policies and programs the data from SCP has helped inform.
Why is the SCP useful?
“The School and College Panel (SCP), is an essential tool for ensuring DfE understands the views of teachers and leaders in the education system. We use the evidence generated to help inform and develop our education policies.”
Michele Weatherburn, Chief Social Researcher,
Department for Education
Why do teachers and leaders take part in the SCP?
Recent key findings
Below we highlight a small selection of findings that were captured in the September and November 2022 survey waves.
All recent publications can be found here.
National Tutoring Programme
The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) provides primary and secondary schools with funding to spend on targeted academic support, delivered by trained and experienced tutors and mentors. You can find out more about the programme here: National Tutoring Programme: guidance for schools, 2022 to 2023
Helping disadvantaged children has always been at the forefront of the programme’s purpose and we are committed to narrowing the attainment gap and improving outcomes for the most disadvantaged in society.
The School and College Panel has gathered a significant amount of information on the National Tutoring Programme since December 2021. The findings are regularly referred to within the Department for Education when policy is being monitored and developed.
- The School and College Panel data found that uptake of the NTP had risen from 63% in December 2021 to 78% in November 2022.
- In September 2022, schools reported that they were most likely to report currently using School Led Tutoring (54%) route of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP). Academic mentors (22%) and Tuition Partners (12%) were less common routes. Around three-quarters (77%) were currently using, or plan to use, at least one route this academic year.
“Findings help to inform conversations with key stakeholders, such as ministers, No. 10, and our Strategic Advisory Group which includes headteachers and union representatives. These shape the way we develop and deliver the NTP.”
Rushda, Senior Research Officer,
NTP Statistics and Evaluation Team
Are you interested in finding out more on the data that the SCP has gathered on NTP?
More details on the findings can be found in our wave reports. [School and college panel: omnibus surveys for 2022 to 2023], and some findings have been covered in the news [The Times Educational Supplement, 9 in 10 schools cut spending amid soaring costs]
Support for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Members of the School and College panel have provided a great deal of insight on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in recent years. The information provided by panel members generated findings that helped the Department for Education to understand levels of ongoing support during the COVID period.
The SCP continues to inform the development of policy and guidance to build workforce expertise and confidence and has been used to inform:
- SEND & Alternative Provision Green Paper,
- SEND & Alternative Provision Improvement Plan.
“The amount of information that exists now from multiple waves and panels is invaluable. We wouldn’t be able to capture that information in a single survey and it really helps us to understand trends over time.”
Wendy, Principal Research Officer SEND and AP,
Department for Education
School barriers to meeting the needs of students with SEND/ LDD
School and College Panel, September 2022 survey (n=558). *Indicates significant difference between primary and secondary.
Schools told us about the reasonable adjustments they are already putting in place for children with disabilities in the May 2022 SCP survey.
In the November 2022 SCP survey, Colleges told us about the support for pupils with SEND to transition from school to FE provision with 75% of colleges feeling their setting can support this transition ‘fairly’ or ‘very’ well.
Are you interested in finding out more on the data that the SCP has gathered on SEND? More details on the findings can be found in our wave reports [School and college panel: omnibus surveys for 2022 to 2023]
Wellbeing
Supporting the wellbeing and mental health of school staff is a crucial element of our commitment to help create a supportive culture in schools and colleges. As part of the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter, published in May 2021, the Department for Education committed to measuring staff wellbeing at regular intervals, to track trends over time, and build this evidence into policy making. You can find out more about the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter here [Education staff wellbeing charter]
“The SCP teacher and leader wellbeing timeseries is central to our evidence base. We regularly review trends and explore sub-group differences, and use findings to showcase the importance of wellbeing.”
Gina,
Social Research Officer
In September 2022, just over half (55%) of leaders and half (50%) of teachers reported being satisfied with their life, giving a positive score of 7-10. The life satisfaction levels of leaders and teachers has remained largely consistent since October 2021.
Satisfaction with their life nowadays (mean score 0-10)
School and College Panel, September 2022 survey (n=1,998). *Indicates a significant difference between highlighted wave and September wave.
Almost seven-in-ten (68%) leaders and teachers reported feeling that the things they did in their life were worthwhile. Figures from September 2022 remained largely consistent with those reported by teachers and leaders in May 2022.
Extent to which they feel the things they do in their life are worthwhile (mean score 0-10)
School and College Panel, September 2022 survey (n=1998). *Indicates a significant difference between highlighted wave and September wave.
Are you interested in finding out more on the data that the SCP has gathered on Teacher and Leader wellbeing? More details on the findings can be found in our wave reports [School and college panel: omnibus surveys for 2022 to 2023]. Findings on the link between wellbeing, flexible working and teacher recruitment and retention can be found in qualitative research undertaken as a follow-up to the School and College Panel [Flexible working in schools: exploring the costs and benefits]