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ANNEX 4 : THE INTERVIEW SCHEDULES
A. Local authority telephone interview schedule
1. What is the extent of commercial activity currently taking place in schools within your authority? ( i.e. is it taking place in primary schools, secondary schools, all schools, some schools etc)?
Probe: Are there any differences between different types of schools e.g. urban/rural?
2. Please could you describe the different types of commercial activity taking place in your authority at the moment in the following areas:
2.1 Product sales e.g. selling branded goods in schools
(For interviewers: examples usually involve food and drink but may also include fund-raising sales of, for example, cards and gift wrap)
2.2 Direct advertising e.g. companies advertising in school through having their logo evident
(For interviewers: on vending machines, on book covers, or through sponsorship of school football teams or canteens)
2.3 Indirect advertising such as the promotion of company-sponsored educational materials
(For interviewers: these might include multimedia teaching kits, software, workbooks, lesson plans or reproducible activity sheets. Can also include company-sponsored contests and incentives such as voucher schemes)
2.4 Using schools for market research purposes
(For interviewers: involves the use of questionnaires, focus groups or the internet to gather information about pupils' preferences and/or consumer habits, or to test new products and advertising strategies)
3. What, from your perspective, are the perceived benefits associated with undertaking such activities:
3.1 Benefits to institutions
Probe: financial benefits e.g. income generation?
non-financial benefits e.g. greater or improved links with businesses, increased supply of teaching materials?
3.2 Benefits to individuals
Probe: financial benefits e.g. discounts?
non-financial benefits e.g. better facilities, greater choice?
4. What, from your perspective, are the perceived costs/consequences associated with undertaking such activities:
4.1 Costs to/consequences for institutions
Probe: financial costs/consequences e.g. alternative financial opportunities lost?
non-financial costs/consequences e.g. staff time to count proofs of purchase; reputation/standing in the community?
4.2 Costs to/consequences for individuals i.e. school staff, parents, pupils/or groups of pupils
Probe: financial costs/consequences?
non-financial costs/consequences e.g. obesity, poor diet, or the time taken by pupils, for example to collect proofs of purchase?
4.3 What steps have you taken to identify the costs/consequences associated with commercial activities in schools?
4.4 To what extent is it easier to identify the benefits rather than the costs/consequences?
5. What is your local authority's policy position regarding commercial activity in schools? ( i.e. supportive, supportive of some activity, cautious, anti)
Probe: What role does your local authority play in decisions surrounding the type of commercial activity in schools?
6. Is there any local authority or school-level guidance or written policy regarding commercial activity in schools?
6.1 If yes, please describe what it is and would it be possible to have a copy of the document
6.2 If no, do you think such policies/guidance would be useful and if so why?
7. Could you identify any key factors in good practice in commercial activity in schools?
8. How useful would you find the introduction by the Scottish Executive of some 'best practice guidelines' for commercial activities in schools?
Probe: advantages/disadvantages
9. Finally, please could you identify 4/5 primary and 4/5 secondary schools within your authority where a range of commercial activity is currently taking place [ e.g. a range of arenas/types of activity as well as amount]?
Primary: name, contact details and type of commercial activity | Secondary: name, contact details and type of commercial activity |
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Thank you very much for your time.
B. School telephone interview schedule
1. Please could you describe the different types of commercial activity taking place in your school at the moment in the following areas:
1.1 Product sales e.g. selling branded goods in school
(For interviewers: examples usually involve food and drink but may also include fund-raising sales of, for example, cards and gift wrap)
1.2 Direct advertising e.g. companies advertising in school through having their logo evident
(For interviewers: on vending machines, on book covers, or through sponsorship of school football teams or canteens)
1.3 Indirect advertising such as the promotion of company- sponsored educational materials
(For interviewers: these might include multimedia teaching kits, software, workbooks, lesson plans or reproducible activity sheets. Can also include company-sponsored contests and incentives such as voucher schemes)
1.4 The school being used for market research purposes
(For interviewers: involves the use of questionnaires, focus groups or the internet to gather information about pupils' preferences and/or consumer habits, or to test new products and advertising strategies)
2. What, from your perspective, are the perceived benefits associated with undertaking such activities:
2.1 Benefits to the institutions involved i.e. schools and businesses
Probe: financial benefits e.g. income generation?
non-financial benefits e.g. greater or improved links with businesses, increased supply of teaching materials?
2.2 Benefits to individuals i.e. school staff, parents, pupils
Probe: financial benefits e.g. discounts?
non-financial benefits e.g. better facilities, greater choice?
2.3 To what extent is it easier to identify the benefits rather than the costs/consequences?
3. What, from your perspective, are the perceived costs/consequences associated with undertaking such activities:
3.1 Costs to/consequences for the institutions involved i.e. schools and businesses
Probe: financial costs/consequences e.g. alternative income opportunities lost?
non-financial costs/consequences e.g. staff time to count proofs of purchase; reputation/standing in the community?
3.2 Costs to/consequences for individuals i.e. school staff, parents, pupils or groups of pupils
Probe: financial costs/consequences?
non-financial costs/consequences e.g. obesity, poor diet, or the time taken by pupils e.g. to collect proof of purchase?
3.3 What steps have you taken to identify the costs/consequences associated with commercial activities in schools?
3.4 Overall, do you think that the benefits from commercial activity in your school outweigh the associated costs?
I would now like to explore in a little more detail your school's involvement in commercial activity:
4. How long has commercial activity taken place in your school?
5. What was the rationale for deciding to support commercial activity in your school?
6. Could you describe the consultation [if any] that took place prior to the school becoming involved in such activity?
Probe: who was consulted and the nature of such consultation
7. Could you describe the income generated by commercial activities in your school in terms of the percentage of the school budget that this represents?
8. Where is the money raised by commercial activities spent ( e.g. on the whole-school population through improved resources, or directed towards targeted groups)?
9. From your perspective, to what extent does commercial activity within the school influence pupils' purchasing patterns?
Probe: does it encourage pupils to buy certain foods in school rather than at a local shop?
does it encourage an increase in overall consumption?
does it influence parents' purchasing patterns [pester power]?
10. Is there any type of commercial activity that would be unacceptable in school ( e.g. because of health reasons etc)? Have any specific types of commercial activity been refused by the school?
11. Are there any plans to extend or reduce the range/amount of commercial activity taking place in your school?
12. What is your understanding of the local authority's policy position regarding commercial activity in schools? ( i.e. supportive, supportive of some activity, cautious, anti)
13. Are you aware of any local authority or school-level guidance or written policy regarding commercial activity in schools?
13.1 If yes, please describe what it is and would it be possible to have a copy of the document?
Probe: Did you find it useful? If yes, in what way?
If no, why not?
13.2 If no, do you think such policies/guidance would be useful?
If so why?
14. Could you identify any key factors in good practice in commercial activity in schools?
15. How useful would you find the introduction by the Scottish Executive of some 'best practice guidelines' for commercial activities in schools?
Probe: advantages/disadvantages
Thank you very much for your time.
C. Case-study interview schedule for headteachers (additional questions following telephone interview)
1. Have you encountered any difficulties in developing the commercial activities taking place?
2. Can you identify any particular successes in developing the commercial activities taking place?
3. Are there any terms and conditions set prior to the implementation of commercial activities?
4. What are your views regarding companies' motives for becoming involved in commercial activities in school? (For interviewers: altruistic, building links in the community, good PR for the company, recruiting future customers/employees etc)
5. Do you measure or monitor the success of commercial activity in your school?
6. Are you aware of the Scottish Executive's Determined to Succeed policy for enterprise in education?
6.1 If so, have you had any involvement in any activities related to Determined to Succeed?
7. What, if any, do you think the links are between commercial activity in schools and Determined to Succeed business partnerships.
Many thanks for your time.
D. Case-study interview schedule for school staff
Conceptualisation
1. The following types of commercial activity have been identified as taking place in your school (For interviewers: run through each type of commercial activity in turn)
1.1 Product sales
1.2 Direct advertising
1.3 Indirect advertising
1.4 The school being used for market research purposes
For each type of activity, ask whether there are any other forms of commercial activity going on in the school
2. Do you think these definitions of commercial activity cover what is going on in school?
Probe: Are there any elements of commercial activity taking place in the school that would not be picked up under these categories?
3. Could you describe the decision-making process that led to the school becoming involved in such activity?
- Who was involved?
- Did any consultation take place?
- Was any guidance followed?
- What was the rationale behind the decision?
4. Have you encountered any difficulties in developing the commercial activities taking place?
5. Can you identify any particular successes in developing the commercial activities taking place?
Implementation
6. Could you outline the process of implementing commercial activity (use a specific type of activity). [Probe in terms of the roles, responsibilities and how it is managed]
7. Could you outline the roles and responsibilities of the company in the implementation of the activity, including how it is managed by the company?
8. Are there any terms and conditions set prior to the implementation of commercial activities?
Impact
9. What, from your perspective, are the perceived benefits associated with undertaking such activities?
9.1 Benefits for the school (Pr obe: financial benefits e.g. income generation and non-financial benefits e.g. greater or improved links with businesses, increased supply of teaching materials?)
9.2 Benefits for the businesses involved (Probe: financial benefits e.g. income generation and non-financial benefits e.g. greater links with schools, improved reputation within the community)
9.3 Benefits to individuals i.e. school staff, parents, pupils (Probe: financial benefits e.g. discounts and non-financial benefits e.g. better facilities, greater choice?)
10. What, from your perspective, are the perceived costs/consequences associated with undertaking such activities?
10.1 Costs to/consequences for the school ( Probe: financial costs/ consequences e.g. alternative income opportunities lost? and non-financial costs/consequences e.g. staff time to count proofs of purchase; reputation/standing in the community?)
10.2 Perceived costs to/consequences for the businesses involved (Probe: financial costs/consequences and non-financial costs/consequences e.g. staff time to work with schools)
10.3 Costs to/consequences for individuals i.e. school staff, parents, pupils or groups of pupils ( Probe: financial costs/consequences and non-financial costs/ consequences e.g. obesity, poor diet, or the time taken by pupils e.g. to collect proof of purchase?)
11. What are your views regarding companies' motives for becoming involved in commercial activities in school? (For interviewers: altruistic, building links in the community, good PR for the company, recruiting future customers/employees etc)
12. Do you measure or monitor the success of commercial activity in your school?
Funding issues
For staff member with budgetary responsibility only:
13. Can you describe the income generated by commercial activities in your school in terms of the percentage of the school budget that this represents?
14. Are you aware of where the money raised by commercial activities is spent ( e.g. on whom, how and for what purpose)?
15. From your perspective, to what extent does commercial activity within the school influence pupils' purchasing patterns?
Probe: Does it encourage pupils to buy certain foods in school rather than at a local shop?
Does it encourage an increase in overall consumption?
Does it influence parents' purchasing patterns [pester power]?
Do you have any evidence of this?
16. Is there any type of commercial activity that would be unacceptable in school ( e.g. because of ethical/moral/health issues)? Have you rejected any of the approaches from companies?
General
17. What, in your view, constitutes the key factors in good practice in commercial activity in schools?
18. Are there any plans to extend or reduce the range/amount of commercial activity taking place in school (including the rationale for any plans)?
19. How useful would you find the introduction of best practice guidelines from the Scottish Executive for commercial activity in schools?
Probe: advantages and disadvantages
20. Are you aware of the Scottish Executive's Determined to Succeed policy for enterprise in education?
20.1 If so, have you had any involvement in any activities related to Determined to Succeed?
21. What, if any, do you think the links are between commercial activity in schools and Determined to Succeed business partnerships.
22. Are there any other comments you would like to make in relation to commercial activity in the school?
Thank you very much for your time
E. Case-study focus group schedule for pupils
1. The following types of commercial activity have been identified as taking place in your school (For interviewers: run through each type of commercial activity in turn)
1.1 Product sales
1.2 Direct advertising
1.3 Indirect advertising
1.5 The school being used for market research purposes
For each type activity, ask whether there are any other forms of commercial activity going on in the school
2. Are you/your friends involved in the commercial activity we've just discussed e.g. using vending machines, wearing company sponsored football strips etc.
3. What do you think are the good things about companies/businesses being involved in your school?
For you? E.g. better football strips, more sports equipment, more prizes, better facilities, you get to learn about how businesses work, you get involved in worthwhile things e.g. fair trade, you get to learn about healthy eating etc.
For the school? E.g. better facilities, more money etc.
4. What do you think are the not so good or negative things about companies/businesses being involved in your school?
For you? E.g. poor diet because of drinking fizzy drinks/eating chocolate bars from vending machines
For the school?
5. Why do you think companies want to be involved in your school? (For interviewers: e.g. to make money, to help schools/community, to teach you about business)?
6. Have you ever been asked by the school for your views on commercial activity e.g. design of the sports wear, uniforms, type of food to be sold in the tuck shop, canteen etc.
7. Do you know where the money raised by commercial activities is spent by the school ( e.g. improving facilities, funding trips etc)?
8. Do you think that companies' involvement in your school influences what you buy?
Probe: e.g. does it encourage you to buy certain foods in school rather than at a local shop?
Do you buy more?
Do you influence what your parents' buy [pester power]?
Is there enough choice at the school?
9. Are there any types of commercial activity/businesses that you think should not be allowed to take place in your school ( e.g. because of ethical/moral/health issues)?
10. Is there any other type of business you would like to see in school?
11. Is there anything else you would like to say about commercial activity in your school?
Thank you very much for your time
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