NSW Public Schools Parent Survey
The parent survey is part of the NSW Public Schools Surveys (NPSS) suite of surveys on student engagement, learning experiences and wellbeing at school. The parent survey helps to clarify and strengthen the important relationship between parents and their child’s school. Parent participation in the survey is optional.
About the parent survey
The department runs the NPSS Parent Survey to provide schools with valuable insights from parents and carers about their experiences with their child’s school, and of their child’s learning at home. The survey covers a range of topics, including communication, inclusion, wellbeing, and how the school supports learning and positive behaviour. Survey results provide schools with actionable data to drive school planning, reporting and excellence, helping to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
The survey also allows the department to observe trends and better understand what works best to promote positive outcomes for students, helping to shape effective policies and programs so that every student is known, valued and cared for in our schools, a key priority of Our Plan for NSW Public ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø.
Schools can survey their parent communities each year during the survey window in Term 2.
Who can take the parent survey?
Parents and carers can take part in the survey in participating schools.
How does it work?
Parents and carers will be offered the survey by participating schools during Term 2 each year. The survey takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete. A unique link to the survey will be provided by the school. The survey can then be completed on a computer, tablet or mobile device. Schools may choose to invite parents to complete the survey on the school premises if parents are unable to access the required technology at home.
Parent anonymity
To ensure anonymity, each school has a unique URL that allows parents to access the survey for their school. The school will distribute this unique URL to parents using a preferred channel of communication, which may be via email, text message, school newsletter or posters around the school. All responses to the survey via this link are anonymous. To further protect parent confidentiality, the department will not report any results when there have been fewer than 5 responses to a question.
Privacy notice
implementing programs that meet student educational and support needs
maintaining the good order and management of schools
assessing and evaluating the effectiveness of programs and their impact on student educational outcomes
conducting and publishing lawful research and compiling statistics relating to school experiences
operational and administrative purposes.
Survey results may be used locally at schools to help inform planning and decision-making. Your child’s school will receive a report once surveys are completed, but school staff will not be able to identify you or your child from your responses. The school will only see the results as a combined score of your and other parents’ responses, and only for questions where 5 or more parents responded.
The department will use the data for research and analysis to understand what works best to promote positive outcomes for students, helping to shape effective policies and programs.
Only grouped results from this analysis and research may be made public through the department’s publications, with all identifying information removed.
The department will not disclose your or your child’s personal information to any other person or body.
The department will only keep information for as long as the department needs it to fulfil the purposes it was collected it for. After this, the information will be disposed of securely in accordance with the State Records Act 1998 and any other applicable legislation.
The department’s privacy management plan details the department’s practices and procedures for handling personal and health information. It can be accessed from the department’s website. Concerns about the collection or handling of your or your child’s personal or health information should initially be raised with your child’s school’s principal.
Topics covered in the survey
- Communication and collaboration
- Inclusion and involvement
- Safety
- School behaviour management
- School infrastructure
- School supports learning
- School supports post-school pathways
- School supports transitions
- School supports wellbeing
- Teacher-parent partnership
- Use of technology at school
Survey questions
All Department of ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø staff can view the survey questions on the intranet.
For a copy of the parent survey questions, email the NSW Public Schools Surveys team at schoolsurveys.admin@det.nsw.edu.au.