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Supporting pupils: A study of guidance and pupil support in Scottish schools
Appendix A1: Methodology and response rates
Summary Who contributed to the core research study? Key findings - 26 Local Authorities returned completed questionnaires (response rate 81%)
- 8 schools agreed to participate as case study schools (3 primary, 4 secondary and 1 special school)
- 2,413 pupils completed questionnaires and 84 participated in 10 focus groups
- 158 teachers returned completed questionnaires. In addition 36 teachers were interviewed and a further 12 took part in focus group
- 2 HEIs agreed to participate
- 100 parents returned questionnaires
- 20 members of other professions were interviewed.
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A1.1 Local authorities
At the beginning of this study, a representative of the Scottish Executive Educational Research Unit wrote to all 32 Scottish local authorities informing Directors of Education of the research study and asking them to name a contact that had responsibility for guidance within each authority. The research team sent postal questionnaires to these named contacts and 26 completed questionnaires were returned (a response rate of 81%). Researchers contacted non-respondents by telephone and e-mail and encouraged them to complete questionnaires. In addition to completing the questionnaire, a number of authorities appended copies of their authority's pupil guidance policies. Table A1.1 below shows the local authorities that responded.
Table A1.1: Scottish local authority respondents
Aberdeen City Council | Moray Council |
Aberdeenshire Council | North Ayrshire Council |
Angus Council | North Lanarkshire Council |
Clackmannanshire Council | Orkney Council |
Dumfries and Galloway Council | Perth and Kinross Council |
Dundee City Council | Renfrewshire Council |
East Ayrshire Council | Scottish Borders Council |
East Dunbartonshire Council | Shetland Islands Council |
East Renfrewshire Council | South Ayrshire Council |
Edinburgh City Council | Stirling Council |
Falkirk Council | West Dunbartonshire Council |
Fife Council | West Lothian Council |
Glasgow City Council | Western Isles Council |
A1.2: Case study schoolTable A1.2: An overview of the case study schools
| School A | School B | School C | School D | School E | School F | School G | School H |
Pupil roll | 70 | 149 | 313 | 508 | 1045 | 860 | 850 | 68 |
Staff roll (estimated) | 3 | 16 | 16 | 50 | 80 | 75 | 75 | 23 |
Denominational/Non-denominational | Non-den. | Non-den. | Non-den. | Non-den. | Non-den. | Non-den. | Den. | Non-den. |
Free school Meals | 7% | 53.3% | 31.2% | 13.3% | 17.4% | 53.5% | 17.4% | 90% |
*HMIE derived from indicators of quality (Last inspection report) | N/A | N/A | Aug 2003 | Mar 2002 | Pending | May 2000 | March 2001 | **Oct 2002 |
Pastoral care/relationships | - | - | Very Good | Very Good | N/A | Good | Very Good | Very Good |
School ethos/climate | - | - | Very Good | Good | N/A | Good | Very Good | Very Good |
Communication with parents | - | - | Very Good | Good | N/A | Good | Very Good | Very Good |
Monitoring and promoting pupils' Progress/attainment | - | - | Very Good | Good | N/A | Fair | Very Good | - |
Curricular and vocational guidance | - | - | - | Good | N/A | Good | Fair | - |
Authorised absence - % total half days 2002/3 | | | | | | | | |
The school | 3 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 20 | 10 | N/A |
The authority | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 7 | N/A |
| | | | | | | | |
Unauthorised absence - % total half days 2002/3 | | | | | | | | |
The school | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | N/A |
The authority | 0 | 1 | 0.1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | N/A |
Guidance system | Embedded | Embedded | Embedded | Full-time team | Part-time and full-time mix | Full-time team | Integrated system | Embedded |
Attainment 2002/3 - % of S4 | | | | | | | | |
Level 3 - Access
The school
The authority | N/A | N/A | N/A | 96%
91% | 95%
93% | 74%
85% | 97%
97% | N/A |
Level 4 - Intermediate 1
The school
The authority | N/A | N/A | N/A | 87%
76% | 84%
76% | 38%
65% | 89%
79% | N/A |
Level 5 - Intermediate 2
The school
The authority | N/A | N/A | N/A | 42%
34% | 37%
37% | 4%
20% | 43%
42% | N/A |
* Based on HMIE (post 1998) reports published on the website at www.hmie.gov.uk
** Rated as Very Good in relation to links with other schools/agencies/employers and communities.
A1.3 Pupil respondents and informants
2,413 pupils completed questionnaires. The characteristics of respondents by Case Study school, gender and year group is shown in Tables A1.3.1a and A1.3.1b.
Table A1.3.1a: Pupil respondents by school, gender and year group
| School A
Year groups | |
Gender | P5 | P6 | P7 | Total |
Female | - | 5 (28%) | 3 (17%) | 8 (44%) |
Male | - | 5 (28%) | 5 (28%) | 10 (56%) |
Total | - | 10 (56%) | 8 (44%) | 18 (100%) |
| School B
Year groups | |
Gender | P5 | P6 | P7 | Total |
Female | 9 (15%) | 11 (18%) | 15 (24%) | 35 (56%) |
Male | 12 (19%) | 10 (16%) | 5 (8%) | 27 (44%) |
Total | 21 (34%) | 21 (34%) | 20 (32%) | 62 (100%) |
| School C
Year groups | |
Gender | P5 | P6 | P7 | Total |
Female | 25 (20%) | 22 (18%) | 15 (12%) | 62 (50%) |
Male | 23 (19%) | 18 (15%) | 21 (17%) | 62 (50%) |
Total | 48 (39%) | 40 (32%) | 36 (29%) | 124 (100%) |
Table 1.3.1b | SCHOOL D
Year Groups | |
Gender | S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | S5 | S6 | Total |
Female | 49 (13%) | 33 (9%) | 39 (10%) | 45 (12%) | 6 (2%) | 25 (7%) | 197 (52%) |
Male | 44 (12%) | 40 (10%) | 38 (10%) | 41 (11%) | 9 (2%) | 12 (3%) | 184 (48%) |
Total | 93 (25%) | 73 (19%) | 77 (20%) | 86 (23%) | 15 (4%) | 37 (10%) | 381 (100%) |
| SCHOOL E
Year Groups | |
Gender | S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | S5 | S6 | Total |
Female | 35 (5%) | 109 (14%) | 61 (8%) | 81 (11%) | 66 (9%) | 31 (4%) | 383 (51%) |
Male | 63 (8%) | 87 (12%) | 79 (10%) | 62 (8%) | 53 (7%) | 29 (4%) | 373 (49%) |
Total | 98 (13%) | 196 (26%) | 140 (18%) | 143 (19%) | 119 (16%) | 60 (8%) | 756 (100%) |
| SCHOOL F
Year Groups | |
Gender | S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | S5 | S6 | Total |
Female | 81 (14%) | 64 (11%) | 91 (15%) | 42 (7%) | 30 (5%) | 9 (2%) | 317 (53%) |
Male | 90 (15%) | 70 (12%) | 68 (11%) | 28 (5%) | 20 (3%) | 7 (1%) | 283 (47%) |
Total | 171 (29%) | 134 (23%) | 159 (26%) | 70 (12%) | 50 (8%) | 16 (3%) | 600 (100%) |
| SCHOOL G
Year Groups | |
Gender | S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | S5 | S6 | Total |
Female | 50 (12%) | 51 (13%) | 49 (12%) | 33 (8%) | 34 (8%) | 7 (2%) | 224 (55%) |
Male | 54 (13%) | 49 (12%) | 24 (6%) | 28 (7%) | 21 (5%) | 6 (1%) | 182 (45%) |
Total | 104 (25%) | 100 (25%) | 73 (18%) | 61 (15%) | 55 (13%) | 13 (3%) | 406 (100%) |
Pupils were asked to indicate the ethnic group to which they belonged. Overall 98% reported that they were White, and 2% reported that they were either Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi, Chinese, Black African/Caribbean or another group.
In addition, some pupils participated in focus group interviews. 10 focus groups were organised, including 74 of pupils. A breakdown of focus group participants is shown in Table A1.3.2 below.
Table A1.3.2 Secondary school pupil discussion groups
School | Discussion groups | Totals |
D | 12 females and 12 males drawn from S1, S3, S5 and S6 | 24 pupils |
E | 9 females and 4 males drawn from S2, S3 and S4 | 13 pupils |
F | 5 males and 4 females drawn from S4, S5 and S6 | 9 pupils |
G | 15 females and 13 males drawn from S1-S6 | 28 pupils |
A1.4 Teacher respondents and informants
158 teachers returned completed questionnaires. Table A1.4.1 below provides a breakdown of the number of teacher respondents by case study school.
Table A1.4.1: Teacher respondents by case study school
School | Sector | No. of responses |
A | Primary | 4 |
B | Primary | 12 |
C | Primary | 25 |
D | Secondary | 35 |
E | Secondary | 23 |
F | Secondary | 24 |
G | Secondary | 6 |
H | Special | 29 |
Total | | 158 |
In addition, 48 teachers were interviewed individually or in groups face-to-face. Details are provided in Table A1.4.2.
Table A1.4.2: Breakdown of teachers interviewed
| Gender | |
Designation | Female | Male | Number |
Headteacher | 4 | - | 4 |
Deputy Headteacher | 3 | 4 | 7 |
Principal teacher | 13 | 6 | 19 |
Classteacher | 11 | - | 11 |
Pupil Support teacher | - | 1 | 1 |
Supply teacher | 1 | - | 1 |
Behaviour support auxiliary | 1 | - | 1 |
Class instructor | 1 | - | 1 |
Auxiliary escort | 1 | - | 1 |
Business manager | 1 | - | 1 |
Senior clerical assistant | 1 | - | 1 |
Total | 37 | 11 | 48 |
A1.5 Parent respondentsParents of pupils in the eight case study schools who participated in the 10 focus groups were asked to take a questionnaire home to their parents. 100 parents returned completed questionnaires. The numbers ranged from 4 parents in Case F (a non-denominational secondary school) to 37 in Case Study H (a special school). Table A1.5 below shows the number of parent responses from each case study school.
Table A1.5: Parent respondents by case study school
School | Sector | No. of responses |
A | Primary | 15 |
B | Primary | 9 |
C | Primary | 8 |
D | Secondary | 11 |
E | Secondary | 7 |
F | Secondary | 4 |
G | Secondary | 9 |
H | Special | 37 |
Total | | 100 |
A1.6 Members of other professions
In addition four members of other professions not associated with the case study schools were also interviewed. (See Table A1.6 below for details.)
Table A1.6: Overview of interviews with other professionals
Other professionals | Total | Cases |
Education psychologist | 5 | B,C,D,E,H |
Social worker | 4 | B,C,D,E |
Religious minister | 3 | A,C,D |
Attendance liaison officer | 1 | E |
Education officer | 1 | E |
Parent council | 1 | C |
College liaison | 2 | G,H |
Doctor | 1 | H |
Healthy school coordinator | 1 | F |
Community fire-fighter | 1 | F |
Community worker | 1 | |
Councillor/Chair of LA Education Committee | 1 | |
Development Officer, National Parents' Organisation | 1 | |
Organiser National Support Network | 1 | |
A1.7 HEI intervieweesStudent focus group |
University A | University B |
ITE Primary 3 female, 1 male | ITE Primary 7 female |
ITE Secondary 5 female, 2 male | ITE Secondary 5 female, 1 male |
Total 11 | Total 13 |
Staff individual interviews |
ITE Primary 1 male | ITE Primary 1 female |
ITE Secondary 1 male | ITE Secondary 1 male |
ITE Guidance/pupil support 1 male | ITE Guidance/pupil support 1 male |
Total 3 | Total 3 |
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