Parent, pupil and learner voice: May 2026
Updated 24 September 2026
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2026
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/parent-pupil-and-learner-voice-omnibus-surveys-for-2025-to-2026/parent-pupil-and-learner-voice-may-2026
Introduction
The Department for Education (DfE) commissioned Verian to recruit and maintain a panel of Parents, Pupils and Learners in England, known as the Parent, Pupil and Learner Voice (PPLV). The PPLV is designed to collect robust evidence to help DfE understand the perspectives of parents, carers, pupils and learners. This allows the department to make more effective policy.
The PPLV works as a series of short surveys across the academic year, covering a range of new and longstanding policy issues. This report is about the findings from the May 2026 survey wave of the PPLV.
Methodology
The May 2026 PPLV survey included secondary school pupils in years 7 to 13, learners in further education (years 12 and 13) and parents of primary, secondary and special school pupils (years 1 to 11) who have agreed to participate in short, regular research surveys on topical education issues.
We select parents and pupils randomly using records from the National Pupil Database (NPD) and invite them to take part in an online survey. For the first survey of the academic year, we send invitation letters to households. For other surveys in that same academic year, we send the invitation by email and text message to the parents and pupils who agreed to join the panel in the first survey.
Midway through the academic year, we randomly select pupils and learners in years 12 and 13 and invite them to join the panel in the same way. We select learners (those studying in a college setting) from the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) and we select pupils (those studying in a school setting) from the NPD. In this report, pupils and learners in years 12 and 13 are referred to as 16 to 19 pupils and learners.
We ran the survey which is the main focus of this report between 13 May and 20 May 2026. The respondents were:
| Audience | Responses |
|---|---|
| Primary school parents | 874 |
| Secondary school parents | 1032 |
| Special school parents | 506 |
| Secondary school pupils | 1653 |
| 16 to 19 pupils and learners | 1651 |
Questions with fewer than 30 responses (before weighting) are not included in this report, and base sizes of below 100 should be treated with caution. Complete findings can be found in the published data tables, which include more detail on how different groups answered each question.
The report makes some comparisons to previous surveys conducted in previous academic years, for example Parent, pupil and learner panel omnibus surveys for 2024 to 2025. These comparisons are helpful to understand how trends may be changing. However, the survey methodology changes over time and so comparisons to previous years are not as reliable as survey findings within each academic year. We introduced parents of pupils attending special schools in the 2023 to 2024 academic year, so any comparisons from earlier academic years do not include these audiences.
In this report, we round figures to the nearest whole number.
We use consistent terminology to describe percentages that fall within specific bands, as follows:
- very few - 0% to 10%
- a small minority - 11% to 32%
- a minority - 33% to 47%
- about half - 48% to 52%
- the majority - 53% to 66%
- a large majority - 67% to 89%
- almost all - 90% to 100%
We do not describe 0% and 100% as none and all because figure rounding may mean this is not accurate. For instance, 100% may be 99.6% of respondents, rounded to the nearest whole number. Data is rounded to the nearest percentage point. This means that when categories are combined, the rounded total figure may differ slightly from the sum of the rounded constituent figures.
Unless otherwise stated, when we refer to the average, we are reporting the arithmetic mean. Non-response categories such as don’t know and prefer not to say are not typically presented in our tabulations and charts when their value rounds to zero.
Wherever data have been ranked in descending order, the data is generally ordered according to the Total column in the accompanying published data tables. As such, the order for individual sub-groups within a table or chart may not appear in strict descending order. Small sub-groups will have less influence on the overall ranking than larger sub-groups.
Further information on the survey methodology is available in the accompanying technical report.
Topics covered in this survey
The survey included questions about:
- extra-curricular activities
- relationships with peers
- free meals at school or college
- school communication with parents
- parental views of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and the alternative provision system
- impact of the condition of school buildings
- awareness of post-16 options
- consideration of T Levels and apprenticeships
- 16 to 19 participation and funding
- student finance
- school attendance
- knowledge and confidence about mental health
- attitudes towards women and girls
- wraparound childcare
- management of medical conditions
Extra-curricular activities
We asked pupils and learners which extra-curricular activities, if any, they had taken part in during the current term at school or college (since April 2026). We also asked parents what activities their child had taken part in at school, over the same period.
Extra-curricular activities were defined as being supervised and structured activities which were hosted by the school or college and took place outside of usual classes, such as during break times or after school or college. Parents, pupils and learners were shown a list of options and asked to select all that applied.
Figure 1: Extra-curricular activities pupils had taken part in this term at school, as reported by pupils and parents
| Response | Key stage 3 pupils | Key stage 4 pupils | 16 to 19 pupils and learners | Primary parents | Secondary parents | Special school parents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports and physical activities | 48% | 37% | 23% | 51% | 41% | 29% |
| Performing arts | 20% | 11% | 8% | 21% | 12% | 12% |
| Clubs relating to an academic subject, not homework or revision sessions | 14% | 14% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 3% |
| Creative arts | 15% | 14% | 7% | 15% | 10% | 9% |
| Hobby and interest clubs | 14% | 7% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 4% |
| Volunteering | 8% | 10% | 16% | 10% | 11% | 3% |
| Community or diversity clubs | 3% | 4% | 4% | 1% | 2% | 1% |
| Uniform groups | 3% | 3% | 2% | 6% | 4% | 1% |
| Other activities | 10% | 9% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 8% |
| None | 33% | 38% | 52% | 31% | 39% | 58% |
Base: All key stage 3 pupils (n = 929), key stage 4 pupils (n = 724), 16 to 19 pupils and learners (n = 1651), primary parents (n = 874), secondary parents (n = 1032) and special school parents (n = 506). Please refer to the data tables for explanatory text that provides additional detail about some activities. Data table reference = extracurricular_school.
Overall, 69% of primary parents, 61% of secondary parents and 42% of special school parents said that their child had participated in any extra-curricular activities at school during the current term. Among the pupils and learners, 67% of key stage 3 pupils, 62% of key stage 4 pupils and 48% of 16 to 19 pupils and learners said that they had participated in extra-curricular activities at school or college during the current term.
We asked pupils and learners which extra-curricular activities, if any, they had taken part in outside of school or college during the current term (since April 2026). We also asked parents what activities their child had taken part in outside of school, over the same period.
In this case, extra-curricular activities were defined as being supervised and structured activities which were not hosted by the school or college. Parents, pupils and learners were again shown a list of options and asked to select all that applied.
Figure 2: Extra-curricular activities pupils had taken part in this term outside of school, as reported by pupils and parents
| Response | Key stage 3 pupils | Key stage 4 pupils | 16 to 19 pupils and learners | Primary parents | Secondary parents | Special school parents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports and physical activities | 48% | 35% | 29% | 59% | 48% | 30% |
| Performing arts | 15% | 8% | 8% | 19% | 14% | 7% |
| Volunteering | 6% | 13% | 15% | 4% | 11% | 2% |
| Hobby and interest clubs | 8% | 7% | 9% | 9% | 7% | 5% |
| Creative arts | 8% | 7% | 7% | 9% | 7% | 7% |
| Uniform groups | 9% | 8% | 4% | 16% | 9% | 3% |
| Clubs relating to an academic subject, not homework or revision sessions | 5% | 7% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 1% |
| Community or diversity clubs | 4% | 5% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 2% |
| Other activities | 9% | 8% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 11% |
| None | 29% | 39% | 46% | 27% | 31% | 51% |
Base: All key stage 3 pupils (n = 929), key stage 4 pupils (n = 724), 16 to 19 pupils and learners (n = 1651), primary parents (n = 874), secondary parents (n = 1032) and special school parents (n = 506). Please refer to the data tables for explanatory text that provides additional detail about some activities. Data table reference = extracurricular_outsideschool.
Overall, 73% of primary parents, 69% of secondary parents and 49% of special school parents said that their child had participated in any extra-curricular activities outside of school during the current term. Among the pupils and learners, 71% of key stage 3 pupils, 61% of key stage 4 pupils and 54% of 16 to 19 pupils and learners said that they had participated in extra-curricular activities outside of school or college during the current term.
Relationships with peers
Pupils in years 7 to 11 were asked a series of questions about their relationships with other pupils in school. Throughout, they were asked to think about the last class they attended when answering.
Firstly, they were asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed that the pupils in their class enjoyed being together.
Figure 3: Extent to which pupils agreed or disagreed that the pupils in their class enjoyed being together
| Phase | Strongly agree | Agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | Prefer not to say | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key stage 3 | 11% | 48% | 28% | 6% | 2% | 4% | 1% | 100% |
| Key stage 4 | 10% | 55% | 25% | 5% | 2% | 3% | 0% | 100% |
Base: Key stage 3 pupils (n = 929) and key stage 4 pupils (n = 724). Data table reference = relationships_enjoy.
The majority of key stage 3 pupils (59%) and key stage 4 pupils (65%) said that they agreed or strongly agreed that the pupils in their class enjoyed being together. When the question was previously asked in December 2025, a lower proportion of key stage 4 pupils were in agreement that the pupils in their class enjoyed being together (58%). For key stage 3 pupils, the figures were broadly similar in May 2026 and December 2025.
Conversely, 8% of key stage 3 pupils and 7% of key stage 4 pupils said that they disagreed or strongly disagreed that the pupils in their class enjoyed being together. This was broadly in line with December 2025 when the question was asked previously.
Pupils were also asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed that most of the pupils in their class were kind and helpful.
Figure 4: Extent to which pupils agreed or disagreed that the pupils in their class were kind and helpful
| Phase | Strongly agree | Agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | Prefer not to say | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key stage 3 | 7% | 44% | 28% | 16% | 4% | 1% | 0% | 100% |
| Key stage 4 | 8% | 48% | 27% | 10% | 3% | 3% | 0% | 100% |
Base: All key stage 3 pupils (n = 929) and key stage 4 pupils (n = 724). Data table reference = relationships_kind.
Overall, 51% of key stage 3 pupils and 56% of key stage 4 pupils said that they agreed or strongly agreed that most of the pupils in their class were kind and helpful. This was broadly in line with December 2025 when the question was asked previously.
Conversely, 20% of key stage 3 pupils and 13% of key stage 4 pupils said that they disagreed or strongly disagreed that most of the pupils in their class were kind and helpful. When the question was previously asked in December 2025, a lower proportion of key stage 3 pupils disagreed or strongly disagreed that the pupils in their class were kind and helpful (13%). For key stage 4 pupils, the figures were very similar in December 2025 and May 2026.
Finally, pupils were asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed that other students in their class accepted them as they are.
Figure 5: Extent to which pupils agreed or disagreed that other students in their class accepted them as they are
| Phase | Strongly agree | Agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | Prefer not to say | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key stage 3 | 21% | 47% | 16% | 8% | 3% | 4% | 0% | 100% |
| Key stage 4 | 16% | 52% | 20% | 5% | 3% | 4% | 1% | 100% |
Base: All key stage 3 pupils (n = 929) and key stage 4 pupils (n = 724). Data table reference = relationships_accept.
A large majority of key stage 3 pupils (68%) and key stage 4 pupils (68%) said that they agreed or strongly agreed that other students in their class accepted them as they are. When the question was previously asked in December 2025, a lower proportion of key stage 4 pupils agreed or strongly agreed that the pupils in their class accepted them as they are (59%). For key stage 3 pupils, the figures were broadly similar in December 2025 and May 2026.
Conversely, 12% of key stage 3 pupils and 8% of key stage 4 pupils said that they disagreed or strongly disagreed that other students in their class accepted them as they are. This was broadly in line with December 2025 when the question was asked previously.
Free meals at school or college
We asked pupils who were eligible for free school meals (FSM), and learners who had free meal eligibility, how often they had a lunch that was prepared by their school or college.
Figure 6: How often pupils and learners eligible for free meals had a lunch prepared by their school or college
| Key stage | Every day | 3 or 4 times a week | Once or twice a week | Less than once a week | Never | Not sure | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key stage 3 pupils | 71% | 7% | 7% | 2% | 9% | 5% | 100% |
| Key stage 4 pupils | 70% | 10% | 3% | 3% | 12% | 2% | 100% |
| 16 to 19 pupils and learners | 34% | 24% | 13% | 6% | 15% | 8% | 100% |
Base: Key stage 3 pupils (n = 378), key stage 4 pupils (n = 300) and 16 to 19 pupils and learners (n = 220) who were eligible for free meals. Data table reference = fsm_often.
Pupils and learners who were eligible for free meals and had lunch prepared by their school or college were asked what helped them to decide whether or not to have lunch at school or college each day. They were shown a list of options and asked to select all that applied.
Figure 7: What helped pupils and learners decide whether or not to have lunch at school or college
| Response | Key stage 3 pupils | Key stage 4 pupils | 16 to 19 pupils and learners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether I like the food available | 61% | 66% | 60% |
| How long the queue is | 40% | 42% | 40% |
| How hungry I feel | 38% | 41% | 45% |
| Whether my friends are getting school meals | 10% | 18% | 14% |
| Whether it feels easy to get the meal | 9% | 9% | 11% |
| Whether there is food that meets my religious or dietary requirements | 11% | 4% | 7% |
| My parents or carers decide | 9% | 3% | 1% |
| Other | 7% | 8% | 4% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 4% | 3% |
Base: Key stage 3 pupils (n = 325), key stage 4 pupils (n = 258) and 16 to 19 pupils and learners (n = 179) who were eligible for free meals and had lunch prepared by school or college. Data table reference = fsm_affects.
From the start of the 2026 to 2027 school year, pupils will be entitled to free school meals if anyone with parental responsibility for them is in receipt of Universal Credit. We asked parents whether they were aware of these upcoming changes to FSM eligibility. Overall, 27% of primary parents, 30% of secondary parents and 40% of special school parents said that they were aware of the eligibility changes.
We also asked whether parents planned to apply for FSM for their child from September 2026 as a result of the eligibility changes. This question was asked of those parents who said that they, or somebody responsible for their child, were currently in receipt of Universal Credit or expected to receive it by September 2026. Overall, 69% of primary parents, 63% of secondary parents and 66% of special school parents said that they did plan to apply for FSM as a result of the changes.
School communication with parents
Parents were asked what types of information their child’s school currently shared with them. They were shown a list of information types and asked to select all that applied.
Figure 8: Types of information schools shared with parents
| Response | Primary | Secondary | Special |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child’s academic progress | 87% | 88% | 79% |
| Information about what topics my child is studying | 72% | 42% | 63% |
| Enrichment or extra-curricular opportunities | 54% | 49% | 37% |
| How to support my child’s learning at home | 55% | 40% | 39% |
| Guidance on non-academic issues (for example, social media, screen time) | 51% | 39% | 43% |
| Access to support services | 38% | 31% | 49% |
| Information or resources to help me understand the curriculum or specific subject | 37% | 25% | 32% |
| My child’s mental health and wellbeing | 32% | 22% | 57% |
| None of these | 3% | 5% | 8% |
Base: All primary parents (n = 874), secondary parents (n = 1032) and special school parents (506). Data table reference = schoolinfo_current.
We also asked parents the extent to which the school had given them the information they needed to support their child’s learning over the current school year (since September 2025).
Figure 9: Extent to which schools had given parents the information needed to support their child’s learning
| Phase | To a great extent | To some extent | To a small extent | Not at all | Don’t know | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary parents | 34% | 43% | 15% | 5% | 2% | 100% |
| Secondary parents | 20% | 46% | 24% | 8% | 2% | 100% |
| Special school parents | 37% | 35% | 19% | 7% | 2% | 100% |
Base: All primary parents (n = 874), secondary parents (n = 1032) and special school parents (506). Data table reference = schoolinfo_learning.
Overall, 77% of primary parents, 66% of secondary parents and 72% of special school parents said the school had given them the information they needed to support their child’s learning to either a great extent or to some extent.
We also asked parents in which areas, if any, they would like to receive more information from their child’s school. They were shown a list of information types and asked to select all that applied.
Figure 10: Areas in which parents would like to receive more information from schools
| Response | Primary | Secondary | Special |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child’s mental health and wellbeing | 50% | 44% | 32% |
| How to support my child’s learning at home | 42% | 44% | 38% |
| My child’s academic progress | 37% | 40% | 31% |
| Information about what topics my child is studying | 31% | 44% | 30% |
| Information or resources to help me understand the curriculum or specific subjects | 33% | 41% | 30% |
| Enrichment or extra-curricular opportunities | 24% | 25% | 26% |
| Access to support services | 24% | 23% | 31% |
| Guidance on non-academic issues (for example, social media, screen time) | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| I already receive enough information | 22% | 16% | 31% |
Base: All primary parents (n = 874), secondary parents (n = 1032) and special school parents (506). Data table reference = schoolinfo_future.
Parental views of SEND and the alternative provision system
We asked parents of children with SEND how confident they were that their child’s school was able to support their special educational needs or disabilities.
Figure 11: How confident parents were that their child’s school was able to support their child’s special educational needs or disabilities
| Phase | Very confident | Fairly confident | Not very confident | Not at all confident | Don’t know | Prefer not to say | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary parents | 26% | 32% | 26% | 12% | 3% | 1% | 100% |
| Secondary parents | 18% | 36% | 20% | 14% | 11% | 2% | 100% |
| Special school parents | 57% | 31% | 7% | 4% | 1% | 1% | 100% |
Base: Primary parents (n = 383), secondary parents (n = 485) and special school parents (n = 506) whose child had SEND. Data table reference = sendsystem_confident.
Among those whose child had SEND, 58% of primary parents, 54% of secondary parents and 87% of special school parents said they were either very or fairly confident that their child’s school was able to support their special educational needs or disabilities. These figures were broadly similar to February 2025, when the question was previously asked.
We also asked parents how useful the SEND support that their child had received since September 2025 had been.
Figure 12: How useful SEND support had been
| Phase | Very useful | Fairly useful | Not very useful | Not useful at all | Don’t know | Prefer not to say | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary parents | 24% | 36% | 18% | 12% | 6% | 4% | 100% |
| Secondary parents | 17% | 37% | 19% | 13% | 12% | 2% | 100% |
| Special school parents | 55% | 32% | 7% | 4% | 2% | 0% | 100% |
Base: Primary parents (n = 383), secondary parents (n = 485) and special school parents (n = 506) whose child had SEND. Data table reference = sendsystem_useful.
Among those whose child had SEND, 60% of primary parents, 54% of secondary parents and 87% of special school parents said that the SEND support their child received had been very or fairly useful. These figures were broadly similar to February 2025, when the question was previously asked.
Impact of the condition of school buildings
We asked pupils how they would describe the overall condition of the classroom in their last classroom-based lesson. They were asked to consider only structural aspects such as lighting, ventilation, temperature and damp. They were asked not to consider the quality of the furnishings, or aspects relating to human behaviour such as noise.
Figure 13: Overall condition of classroom in pupils’ last classroom-based lesson
| Phase | Very good | Good | Neither good nor poor | Poor | Very poor | Don’t know | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key stage 3 | 20% | 50% | 20% | 6% | 1% | 2% | 100% |
| Key stage 4 | 20% | 50% | 21% | 7% | 1% | 1% | 100% |
Base: Key stage 3 pupils (n = 929) and key stage 4 pupils (n = 724). Data table reference = schoolbuilding_condition.
A large majority of key stage 3 pupils (70%) and key stage 4 pupils (70%) said that the overall condition of their last classroom was good or very good.
Overall, 8% of key stage 3 pupils and 8% of key stage 4 pupils said that the overall condition of their last classroom was poor or very poor.
Pupils were also asked what impact, if any, the physical condition of their last classroom had on their ability to learn.
Figure 14: Impact of the physical condition of classroom on pupils’ ability to learn
| Phase | Very positive | Positive | Neither positive nor negative | Negative | Very negative | Don’t know | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key stage 3 | 12% | 33% | 39% | 7% | 1% | 9% | 100% |
| Key stage 4 | 8% | 29% | 48% | 6% | 2% | 6% | 100% |
Base: Key stage 3 pupils (n = 908) and key stage 4 pupils (n = 703) who gave a rating for the overall condition of their last classroom. Data table reference = schoolbuilding_learning.
Overall, 45% of key stage 3 pupils and 38% of key stage 4 pupils said that the physical condition of their last classroom had a positive or very positive impact on their ability to learn.
Conversely, 8% of key stage 3 pupils and 8% of key stage 4 pupils said that the physical condition of their last classroom had a negative or very negative impact on their ability to learn.
Overall, 39% of key stage 3 pupils and 48% of key stage 4 pupils said the impact of their last classroom’s condition was neither positive nor negative.
Awareness of post-16 options
We asked secondary parents with a child in years 9 to 11, and pupils in years 9 to 11, whether they had heard of different post-16 options.
Figure 15: Parent and pupil awareness of post-16 options
| Response | Parents | Pupils |
|---|---|---|
| A levels | 98% | 99% |
| Apprenticeships | 95% | 98% |
| BTECs | 88% | 81% |
| T Levels | 58% | 64% |
Base: Secondary parents with a child in years 9 to 11 (n = 561) and secondary pupils in years 9 to 11 (n = 1032). Data table reference = tlevelawareness_tlevels, tlevelawareness_apprenticeship, tlevelawareness_alevels, tlevelawareness_btecs.
Overall, 50% of year 9 pupils, 63% of year 10 pupils and 79% of year 11 pupils were aware of T Levels.
Parents’ awareness of each of the post-16 options was broadly similar to October 2025 when the question was previously asked.
Pupils’ awareness of BTECs was higher in May 2026 (81%) than in October 2025 (76%). Awareness of T Levels among pupils was also higher in May 2026 (64%) than in October 2025 (55%). Awareness of A levels and apprenticeships remained broadly stable over the same period.
It should be noted that some parents and pupils took part in both of the surveys conducted in October 2025 and in May 2026. As such, it is possible that exposure to this question in October 2025 may have boosted the later awareness of qualifications in May 2026.
16-19 participation and funding
We asked pupils in year 11 what was the main activity they were planning on doing from September 2026. They were shown a list of relevant activities and asked to select one.
Figure 16: Main activity that year 11 pupils planned on doing from September 2026
| Response | Year 11 pupils |
|---|---|
| Study at a school sixth form | 50% |
| Study at a college | 43% |
| Do an apprenticeship | 3% |
| Begin paid work | 1% |
| Join the armed forces | 1% |
| Something else | 0% |
| Don’t know | 2% |
Base: Pupils in year 11 (n = 397). Data table reference = post16_activity.
We also asked pupils and learners in years 12 and 13 what was the main activity they were planning on doing from September 2026. They were shown a list of relevant activities and asked to select one.
Figure 17: Main activity that 16 to 19 pupils and learners planned on doing from September 2026
| Response | 16 to 19 pupils and learners |
|---|---|
| Study at a university | 23% |
| Continue studying at a college | 20% |
| Continue studying at a school sixth form | 19% |
| Do an apprenticeship | 11% |
| Begin paid work | 8% |
| Take a gap year | 4% |
| Join the armed forces | 1% |
| Something else | 8% |
| Don’t know | 6% |
Base: 16 to 19 pupils and learners (n = 1651). Data table reference = post16_activity. Voluntary work, switching to studying at a school sixth form, and switching to studying at a college (all <1%) were merged into Something else.
Pupils and learners in years 11 to 13, who were planning to continue studying from September 2026, were asked what they were planning to study. They were shown a list of qualifications and asked to select the one that applied.
Figure 18: What year 11 to 13 pupils and learners were planning to study from September 2026
| Response | Year 11 pupils | Year 12 pupils and learners | Year 13 pupils and learners |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-levels | 70% | 59% | - |
| Higher education degree | - | - | 73% |
| An apprenticeship | 6% | 10% | 19% |
| T Levels | 6% | 8% | - |
| Level 4 or 5 qualification | - | - | 6% |
| Complete a short course | - | 4% | 0% |
| A foundation apprenticeship | 0% | 1% | 1% |
| T Level Foundation Year | 0% | 0% | - |
| Higher technical qualification (HTQ) | - | - | 0% |
| Something else | 13% | 13% | 1% |
| Don’t know | 4% | 7% | 1% |
Base: Pupils and learners in year 11 (366), year 12 (922) and year 13 (411) who planned to continue studying from September 2026. Pupils in different year groups were shown different response options. In cases where an option was not shown to a given year group, a dash appears in the related cell. Data table reference = post16_main.
We asked pupils and learners in years 11 to 13 what was the main reason for choosing their planned activity for the next academic year. Those who said they did not know what they planned on doing, or said that they planned on doing something else, were not asked this question. They were shown a list of potential reasons and asked to select the main one.
Figure 19: Reason for choosing planned activity for the next academic year
| Response | Pupils and learners |
|---|---|
| I am interested in studying further | 47% |
| I wish to enhance future career prospects | 22% |
| I want to improve existing skills | 6% |
| I want to start work | 5% |
| I want to begin earning money | 4% |
| I have been given career advice to do this | 4% |
| It is the nearest place where I can study | 2% |
| I want to stay with my friends | 2% |
| I want to take some time off | 1% |
| I want to avoid debt | 1% |
| Other | 5% |
| Don’t know | 3% |
Base: Pupils and learners in years 11-13 who identified a specific activity that they planned to do from September 2026 (n = 1884). Data table reference = post16_reason.
We also asked pupils and learners in years 11 to 13 how confident they were that they would end up doing what they planned in the next academic year.
Figure 20: Pupils’ and learners’ confidence that they will end up doing what they planned in the next academic year
| Response | Very confident | Fairly confident | Not very confident | Not at all confident | Don’t know | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils and learners | 55% | 37% | 6% | 1% | 1% | 100% |
Base: Pupils and learners in years 11-13 who identified a specific activity that they planned to do from September 2026 (n = 1884). Data table reference = post16_confident.
Almost all pupils and learners who had identified a specific activity that they planned to do in the next academic year were either very or fairly confident that this was what they would end up doing (92%).
Consideration of T Levels and apprenticeships
We asked pupils in year 11 whether they had considered, or were still considering, taking T Levels, an apprenticeship, or both in September 2026. Those pupils who had already indicated that they planned to study for both T Levels and an apprenticeship were not asked this question - they accounted for less than 1% of all year 11 pupils.
A small minority of pupils said that they had considered taking an apprenticeship (21%) or T Levels (7%).
We asked the reasons why pupils had not considered taking T Levels or apprenticeships. They were shown a list of potential barriers for each qualification and asked to select all that applied.
Figure 21: Reasons for not considering T Levels and apprenticeships
| Response | T Levels | Apprenticeships |
|---|---|---|
| I don’t know enough about them | 31% | 11% |
| I do not need it for my future career plans | 30% | 35% |
| I wanted to study several different subjects | 25% | 32% |
| I did not know what job I wanted to do | 18% | 25% |
| Other qualifications have a better reputation | 13% | 21% |
| Concern that the qualification would not be recognised (for example, by a University) | 8% | 13% |
| Did not want to study English or maths as part of the course | 6% | |
| There wasn’t a vacancy available related to a job in my preferred career | 6% | |
| The pay is too low | 4% | |
| I was recommended against it | 5% | 3% |
| Concerns over industry placement | 2% | 4% |
| Concerns over assessments | 2% | 1% |
| The course is not available in my local area | 1% | 4% |
| I did not meet the entry requirements | 0% | 0% |
| Other | 9% | 10% |
| Don’t know | 17% | 7% |
Base: Pupils in year 11 who did not consider T Levels (n = 322) or apprenticeships (n = 284). Wherever there is a missing value, this is because the specific response was not applicable for that qualification. Data table reference = tlevel_whynot_y11_tlevels, tlevel_whynot_y11_apprenticeship.
Student finance
We asked pupils and learners in years 12 and 13 what studying options, if any, they would be most interested in doing after school or college. They were shown a list of options and asked to select one.
Figure 22: What studying options, if any, pupils and learners would be most interested in
| Response | Pupils and learners |
|---|---|
| Full-time course or training that leads to a qualification | 46% |
| Working whilst studying for a qualification | 20% |
| Part time course or training that leads to a qualification | 5% |
| Learning alongside my job that could lead to a recognised qualification over time (for example, modular study) | 4% |
| Learning alongside my job to build specific skills that does not lead to a recognised qualification (for example, online short course, evening class) | 4% |
| Don’t know | 14% |
| None of these | 6% |
Base: Pupils and learners in years 12 and 13 (n = 1651). Data table reference = studentfinance_interested.
We asked pupils and learners in years 12 and 13 whether they knew that learners must start repaying their student loan when they have left their course and earn more than £25,000 a year, equal to £2,083 a month or £480 per week. Overall, 57% said that they knew this.
We also asked pupils and learners in years 12 and 13 how concerned, if at all, they would be about the long-term financial impact of taking out a student loan.
Figure 23: Pupils’ and learners’ level of concern about the long-term financial impact of student loans
| Response | Very concerned | Fairly concerned | Not very concerned | Not at all concerned | Don’t know | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils and learners | 28% | 39% | 19% | 6% | 8% | 100% |
Base: Pupils and learners in years 12 and 13 (n = 1651). Data table reference = studentfinance_concerned.
A large majority of pupils and learners in years 12 and 13 said that they were either very or fairly concerned about the long-term financial impact of taking out a student loan (67%).
School attendance
We asked pupils and learners how often, if at all, they had physically attended school or college in the past two weeks of term time. We also asked parents how often their child had physically attended school in the past two weeks.
Figure 24: How often pupils and learners had attended school or college in the past 2 weeks of term, as reported by pupils, learners and parents
| Phase | Every weekday | Most weekday | Some weekdays | Not at all | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key stage 3 pupils | 84% | 12% | 3% | 1% | 100% |
| Key stage 4 pupils | 80% | 15% | 4% | 1% | 100% |
| 16 to 19 pupils and learners | 57% | 28% | 11% | 4% | 100% |
| Primary parents | 89% | 8% | 1% | 1% | 100% |
| Secondary parents | 83% | 12% | 3% | 2% | 100% |
| Special school parents | 81% | 11% | 4% | 4% | 100% |
Base: All key stage 3 pupils (n = 929), key stage 4 pupils (n = 724), 16 to 19 pupils and learners (n = 1651), primary parents (n = 874), secondary parents (n = 1032) and special school parents (n = 506). Data table reference = attendance_pupils.
Overall, 96% of key stage 3 pupils, 95% of key stage 4 pupils and 86% of 16 to 19 pupils and learners said that they had attended school on every weekday or most weekdays over the past two weeks.
Among parents, 98% of primary parents, 95% of secondary parents and 92% of special school parents said their child had attended school on every weekday or most weekdays over the past two weeks.
We have asked the same questions in previous surveys. Data since December 2023 is shown in the following table.
Figure 25: Proportion of pupils and learners attending school on every day or most days over the past two weeks, as reported by pupils, learners and parents
| Wave | Key stage 3 pupils | Key stage 4 pupils | 16 to 19 pupils and learners | Primary parents | Secondary parents | Special school parents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | 96% | 95% | 86% | 98% | 95% | 92% |
| March 2026 | 95% | 95% | 91% | |||
| December 2025 | 95% | 94% | 97% | 93% | 91% | |
| May 2025 | 96% | 95% | 84% | 99% | 95% | 93% |
| March 2025 | 95% | 93% | 92% | |||
| September 2024 | 97% | 96% | 98% | 96% | 91% | |
| March 2024 | 95% | 95% | 98% | 95% | 93% | |
| December 2023 | 96% | 94% | 99% | 95% | 91% |
Base: All key stage 3 pupils, key stage 4 pupils, 16 to 19 pupils and learners, primary parents, secondary parents and special school parents. The number of responses for each group varied in each survey wave and can be found in the accompanying data tabulations. Wherever there is a missing value, this is because the specific parent, pupil or learner group was not asked about attendance in that survey wave. Data table reference = attendance_pupils.
We asked pupils and learners who had not physically attended school on every weekday in the past two weeks of term why this was. They were shown a list of reasons and asked to select all that applied.
Figure 26: Reasons reported by pupils and learners for not attending school or college every day in the past two weeks of term
| Response | Key stage 3 | Key stage 4 | 16 to 19 pupils and learners |
|---|---|---|---|
| I have been ill | 57% | 52% | 40% |
| Anxiety or mental health problems | 24% | 27% | 24% |
| I have been on exam or study leave | 0% | 22% | 26% |
| A neurodevelopmental condition, such as ADHD or autism | 13% | 9% | 10% |
| I am being bullied at school or college | 4% | 5% | 2% |
| Cost of travel to school or college | 0% | 1% | 5% |
| I have been on holiday | 6% | 0% | 0% |
| I have been suspended or permanently excluded from school or college | 2% | 2% | 1% |
| I am now being permanently home schooled | 2% | 0% | 0% |
| Other | 20% | 13% | 26% |
| Don’t know | 1% | 2% | 3% |
| Prefer not to say | 2% | 3% | 3% |
Base: Key stage 3 pupils (n = 225), key stage 4 pupils (n = 226) and 16 to 19 pupils and learners (n = 686) who had not physically attended school every weekday over the past two weeks. Data table reference = attendance_whynot.
We also asked parents whose child had not physically attended school every weekday in the past two weeks of term why this was. They were shown a list of reasons and asked to select all that applied.
Figure 27: Reasons reported by parents for their child not attending school every day in the past two weeks of term
| Response | Primary parents | Secondary parents | Special school parents |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child has been ill | 64% | 61% | 46% |
| Anxiety or mental health problems | 20% | 31% | 31% |
| A neurodevelopmental condition, such as ADHD or autism | 22% | 13% | 38% |
| My child is being bullied at school | 1% | 6% | 6% |
| My child has been suspended or permanently excluded from school | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| My child has been on holiday | 6% | 2% | 0% |
| My child has been on exam or study leave | 0% | 2% | 0% |
| Cost of travel to school | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| My child is now being permanently home schooled | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Other | 6% | 14% | 27% |
| Don’t know | 7% | 2% | 1% |
| Prefer not to say | 6% | 6% | 3% |
Base: Primary parents (n = 109), secondary parents (n = 225) and special school parents (n = 92) whose child had not physically attended school every weekday over the past two weeks. The base size for special school parents is less than 100 and the data should therefore be treated with caution. Data table reference = attendance_whynot.
If pupils and learners had not attended school every day in the past two weeks, and anxiety or mental health problems played a part in this absence, they were asked what factors had contributed to this. They were shown a list of options and asked to select all that applied.
Figure 28: Factors that contributed to pupils’ and learners’ anxiety or mental health problems, as reported by pupils and learners
| Response | Pupils |
|---|---|
| General worries not about anything in particular | 43% |
| Worries about lessons and learning | 34% |
| I’ve been diagnosed with a mental illness, such as depression or anxiety | 28% |
| Worries about other pupils behaviour | 25% |
| Worries about my lessons or exams* | 17% |
| Worries about getting on with teachers | 13% |
| None of these | 13% |
| Don’t know | 3% |
| Prefer not to say | 8% |
Base: Pupils and learners who had not attended school every day in the past two weeks and said that anxiety or mental health problems had played a part in this (n = 330). *Only pupils in years 9 to 11 were asked whether worries about lessons or exams had been a contributing factor. Data table reference = attendance_mentalhealth.
If parents said that their child had not attended school every day in the past two weeks, and anxiety or mental health problems played a part in this absence, they were also asked what factors had contributed to this. They were shown a list of options and asked to select all that applied.
Figure 29: Factors that contributed to pupils anxiety or mental health problems, as reported by parents
| Response | Parents |
|---|---|
| Worries about lessons and learning | 54% |
| Worries about other pupils behaviour | 46% |
| General worries not about anything in particular | 45% |
| Worries about getting on with teachers | 33% |
| My child has been diagnosed with a mental illness, such as depression or anxiety | 24% |
| Worries about exams or coursework | 17% |
| None of these | 4% |
| Don’t know | 4% |
| Prefer not to say | 2% |
Base: Parents whose child had not attended school every day in the past two weeks and who said that anxiety or mental health problems had played a part in this (n = 147). Only parents of children in years 9 to 11 were asked whether worries about exams or coursework had been a contributing factor. Data table reference = attendance_mentalhealth.
Knowledge and confidence about mental health
We asked parents, pupils and learners whether they were aware of any mental health and wellbeing support available through the school or college.
Overall, 41% of primary parents, 48% of secondary parents and 49% of special school parents said they were aware of any mental health and wellbeing support that was available through their child’s school. The proportion of parents who were aware of mental health and wellbeing support was lower than in May 2025 when the question was previously asked. In May 2025, 57% of primary parents, 67% of secondary parents and 61% of special school parents were aware of mental health and wellbeing support through their child’s school or college.
Awareness was higher among pupils and learners than among parents in May 2026. Overall, 77% of key stage 3 pupils, 84% of key stage 4 pupils and 86% of 16 to 19 pupils and learners were aware of mental health and wellbeing support through their school or college. The proportion of key stage 4 pupils who were aware of mental health and wellbeing support was higher in May 2026 (84%) than in May 2025 (77%). Awareness among pupils in key stage 3 and among 16 to 19 pupils and learners remained broadly stable over the same period.
We asked those who were aware of any mental health and wellbeing support whether they, or their child, had made use of it. These data have been rebased so that they can be reported as a proportion of all parents and all pupils and learners.
Overall, 17% of primary parents, 18% of secondary parents and 27% of special school parents reported that their child had made use of mental health and wellbeing support available through their school. Reported usage of support remained broadly in line with May 2025.
Among the pupils and learners, 23% of key stage 3 pupils, 27% of key stage 4 pupils and 22% of 16 to 19 pupils and learners said that they had made use of mental health and wellbeing support through their school or college. The proportion of key stage 4 pupils who had made use of mental health and wellbeing support was higher in May 2026 (27%) than in May 2025 (22%). The usage of support among pupils in key stage 3 and among 16 to 19 pupils and learners remained broadly stable over the same period.
We asked pupils how comfortable, if at all, they would feel about speaking to adults in their school or college about their own mental health.
Figure 30: Pupils and learners comfort in speaking to adults at their school about their mental health
| Key stage | Very comfortable | Fairly comfortable | Not very comfortable | Not at all comfortable | Don’t know | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key stage 3 | 12% | 47% | 24% | 10% | 7% | 100% |
| Key stage 4 | 9% | 48% | 28% | 10% | 5% | 100% |
| 16 to 19 pupils and learners | 16% | 43% | 22% | 12% | 7% | 100% |
Base: All key stage 3 pupils (n = 929), key stage 4 pupils (n = 724) and 16 to 19 pupils and learners (n = 1651). Data table reference = wellbeingsupport_comfortable.
Overall, 59% of key stage 3 pupils, 57% of key stage 4 pupils and 59% of 16 to 19 pupils and learners said they would feel very or fairly comfortable speaking to adults in their school or college about their mental health.
In May 2025, when the question was previously asked, a lower proportion of pupils and learners said that they would feel very or fairly comfortable speaking to adults in their school or college about their mental health. Overall, 50% of key stage 3 pupils, 47% of key stage 4 pupils and 46% of 16 to 19 pupils and learners in May 2025 said they would feel very or fairly confident.
We also asked pupils and learners the extent to which they agreed or disagreed that their school or college taught them about how to look after their mental health.
Figure 31: Extent to which pupils and learners agreed or disagreed that their school or college taught them about how to look after their mental health
| Key stage | Strongly agree | Agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key stage 3 | 17% | 46% | 22% | 8% | 3% | 4% | 100% |
| Key stage 4 | 16% | 44% | 25% | 10% | 3% | 2% | 100% |
| 16 to 19 pupils and learners | 14% | 45% | 26% | 8% | 3% | 3% | 100% |
Base: All key stage 3 pupils (n = 929), key stage 4 pupils (n = 724) and 16 to 19 pupils and learners (n = 1651). Data table reference = wellbeingsupport_mh_teach.
Overall, 63% of key stage 3 pupils, 60% of key stage 4 pupils and 59% of 16 to 19 pupils and learners agreed or strongly agreed that their school or college taught them about how to look after their mental health.
In May 2025, when the question was previously asked, there was lower agreement among pupils and learners that their school or college taught them how to look after their mental health. Overall, 58% of key stage 3 pupils, 50% of key stage 4 pupils and 53% of 16 to 19 pupils and learners agreed or strongly agreed with this in May 2025.
We asked pupils and learners who had made use of mental health and wellbeing support from their school or college, the extent to which they agreed or disagreed that the support provided was helpful.
Figure 32: Extent to which pupils and learners agreed or disagreed that mental health and wellbeing support was helpful
| Key stage | Strongly agree | Agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key stage 3 | 18% | 55% | 22% | 4% | 0% | 0% | 100% |
| Key stage 4 | 22% | 33% | 26% | 11% | 8% | 0% | 100% |
| 16 to 19 pupils and learners | 24% | 48% | 16% | 8% | 3% | 1% | 100% |
Base: All key stage 3 pupils (n = 261), key stage 4 pupils (n = 268) and 16 to 19 pupils and learners (n = 386) who had made use of mental health and wellbeing support available through their school or college. Data table reference = wellbeingsupport_mh_helpfulused.
Among those who had received mental health and wellbeing support through their school or college, 73% of key stage 3 pupils, 55% of key stage 4 pupils and 72% of 16 to 19 pupils and learners agreed or strongly agreed that the support had been helpful.
In May 2025, when the question was previously asked, there was lower agreement among pupils and learners that the mental health and wellbeing support they had received had been helpful. Overall, 64% of key stage 3 pupils, 48% of key stage 4 pupils and 64% of 16 to 19 pupils and learners agreed or strongly agreed with this in May 2025.
We also asked parents the extent to which they agreed or disagreed that the mental health and wellbeing support provided by their child’s school was helpful. The question was only asked of those parents who said that their child had made use of such support.
Figure 33: Extent to which parents agreed or disagreed that mental health and wellbeing support for their child was helpful
| Phase | Strongly agree | Agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | 42% | 48% | 7% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 100% |
| Secondary | 25% | 47% | 21% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 100% |
| Special | 57% | 35% | 5% | 3% | 0% | 0% | 100% |
Base: All primary parents (n = 390), secondary parents (n = 536) and special school parents (n = 242) whose child had made use of mental health and wellbeing support available through their school. Data table reference = wellbeingsupport_support.
Among those whose child had received mental health and wellbeing support through their school, 90% of primary parents, 72% of secondary parents and 91% of special school parents agreed or strongly agreed that the support had been helpful.
In May 2025, when the question was previously asked, a lower proportion of primary parents agreed that the mental health and wellbeing support their child had received had been helpful (83%). The proportion among secondary parents (71%) and special school parents (91%) in May 2025 was broadly consistent with May 2026.
We asked parents to what extent they agreed or disagreed that there were staff in their child’s school who they would feel comfortable speaking to about their child’s mental health.
Figure 34: Extent to which parents agreed or disagreed that there were school staff they would feel comfortable speaking to about their child’s mental health
| Phase | Strongly agree | Agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | 36% | 43% | 12% | 5% | 1% | 2% | 100% |
| Secondary | 21% | 38% | 24% | 7% | 3% | 8% | 100% |
| Special | 51% | 32% | 11% | 3% | 2% | 1% | 100% |
Base: All primary parents (n = 874), secondary parents (n = 1032) and special school parents (n = 506). Data table reference = wellbeingsupport_staff.
Overall, 79% of primary parents, 58% of secondary parents and 83% of special school parents agreed or strongly agreed that there were staff in their child’s school who they would feel comfortable speaking to about their child’s mental health.
In May 2025, when the question was previously asked, a higher proportion of primary parents (84%) and secondary parents (68%) agreed or strongly agreed that there were staff who they would feel comfortable speaking to about their child’s mental health. The proportion among special school parents (86%) was broadly consistent with May 2026.
Attitudes towards women and girls
Pupils were asked whether they consented to answer questions about behaviour and negative attitudes towards women and girls. Almost all female pupils and learners (97%) and male pupils and learners (93%) said that they were happy to answer questions on this topic.
Pupils and learners who agreed to answer questions about this topic were asked how often, in the past week, they had witnessed other pupils at their school or college make comments about girls and women that they would describe as misogynistic. Misogynistic comments were defined as comments that show feelings of hating girls and women, or a belief that boys and men are better than girls and women.
Figure 35: How often pupils and learners had heard comments at school that they would describe as misogynistic in the past week
| Phase | Every day | Most days | Some days | Never | Don’t know | Prefer not to say | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key stage 3 pupils | 2% | 7% | 33% | 42% | 15% | 1% | 100% |
| Key stage 4 pupils | 4% | 7% | 35% | 41% | 12% | 1% | 100% |
| 16 to 19 pupils and learners | 2% | 6% | 30% | 49% | 11% | 1% | 100% |
Base: All key stage 3 pupils (n = 882), key stage 4 pupils (n = 684) and 16 to 19 pupils and learners (n = 1541) who consented to answer questions about behaviour and attitudes towards women and girls. Data table reference = attitudegirls_misogynistic.
Overall, 42% of key stage 3 pupils, 45% of key stage 4 pupils and 39% of 16 to 19 pupils and learners said they had heard comments by other pupils at school, on at least some days in the past week, that they would describe as misogynistic.
In December 2025, when the question was last asked, a lower proportion of key stage 3 pupils said they had heard comments by other pupils at school, on at least some days in the past week, that they would describe as misogynistic (32%). The proportion of key stage 4 pupils who had heard such comments remained broadly stable between December 2025 and May 2026. 16 to 19 pupils and learners had not previously been asked this question.
The same data can also be broken down to examine differences in the responses of male and female pupils and learners.
Figure 36: How often male and female pupils and learners had heard comments at school that they would describe as misogynistic in the past week
| Phase | Every day | Most days | Some days | Never | Don’t know | Prefer not to say | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male pupils and learners only | 2% | 4% | 28% | 50% | 14% | 1% | 100% |
| Female pupils and learners only | 3% | 9% | 37% | 37% | 13% | 1% | 100% |
Base: All male pupils and learners (n = 1181) and female pupils and learners (n = 1926) who consented to answer questions about behaviour and attitudes towards women and girls. Data table reference = attitudegirls_misogynistic.
Overall, 50% of female pupils and learners and 35% of male pupils and learners said that they had heard misogynistic comments from other pupils at school on at least some days in the past week.
In December 2025, the same question was asked of key stage 3 and key stage 4 pupils. Rebasing the May 2026 data to focus only on those groups, the proportion of female pupils and learners who said they had heard misogynistic comments from other pupils at school on at least some days in the past week was higher in May 2026 (50%) than in December 2025 (44%). The proportion of male pupils that had heard misogynistic comments in the past week was also higher in May 2026 (36%) than in December 2025 (29%).
Pupils and learners were also asked how often, in the past week, they had witnessed other students at their school or college make comments that made them worry about the safety of girls and women.
Figure 37: How often pupils and learners had heard comments in the past week at school that made them worry about the safety of girls and women
| Phase | Every day | Most days | Some days | Never | Don’t know | Prefer not to say | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key stage 3 pupils | 1% | 3% | 17% | 61% | 17% | 1% | 100% |
| Key stage 4 pupils | 2% | 6% | 22% | 58% | 11% | 1% | 100% |
| 16 to 19 pupils and learners | 2% | 5% | 20% | 63% | 10% | 1% | 100% |
Base: All key stage 3 pupils (n = 882), key stage 4 pupils (n = 684) and 16 to 19 pupils and learners (n = 1541) who consented to answer questions about behaviour and attitudes towards women and girls. Data table reference = attitudegirls_safety.
Overall, 22% of key stage 3 pupils, 30% of key stage 4 pupils and 26% of 16 to 19 pupils and learners said they had heard comments from other pupils at school, on at least some days in the past week, that made them worry about the safety of girls and women.
The proportion of key stage 3 and key stage 4 pupils who had heard such comments remained broadly stable between December 2025 and May 2026. 16 to 19 pupils and learners had not previously been asked this question.
The same data can also be broken down to examine differences in the responses of male and female pupils and learners.
Figure 38: How often male and female pupils and learners had heard comments in the past week at school that made them worry about the safety of girls and women
| Phase | Every day | Most days | Some days | Never | Don’t know | Prefer not to say | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male pupils and learners only | 1% | 3% | 14% | 69% | 11% | 1% | 100% |
| Female pupils and learners only | 2% | 6% | 25% | 51% | 16% | 0% | 100% |
Base: All male pupils and learners (n = 1181) and female pupils and learners (n = 1926) who consented to answer questions about behaviour and attitudes towards women and girls. Data table reference = attitudegirls_safety.
Overall, 32% of female pupils and learners and 18% of male pupils and learners said that they had heard comments that made them worry about the safety of girls and women on at least some days in the past week.
We asked pupils and learners in years 12 and 13 if they were willing to answer a question about reporting sexual harassment, which was defined as unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that can occur online and offline, and both inside and outside of school or college. Examples of sexual harassment included sexual remarks about someone’s appearance, sharing of unwanted explicit content, unwanted sexual comments and messages (including on social media), or physical behaviour such as deliberately brushing up against someone.
Overall, 83% of those in years 12 and 13 were willing to answer a question on this topic.
We asked pupils and learners in years 12 and 13 whether, if they wanted to report an instance of sexual harassment towards themself or another person, they knew who to report it to in their school or college. This question was only asked of those who agreed to answer a question on this topic. Among those who answered, 79% said that they knew who to report instances of sexual harassment to in their school or college.
Wraparound childcare
Before- and after-school childcare is also referred to as wraparound childcare. Some families are able to use government funded support such as Tax-Free Childcare, childcare vouchers and the childcare element of Universal Credit to pay for wraparound childcare.
We asked primary parents and special school parents whether they had used any types of government funded support to pay for wraparound childcare since September 2025. They were shown a list of options and asked to select all that applied. The data have been rebased to exclude those who said that they were ineligible for support (30% of all primary and special school parents) and those who said that they did not use wraparound childcare (29% of all primary and special school parents).
Figure 39: Use of government funded support for wraparound childcare
| Response | Primary parents | Special school parents |
|---|---|---|
| Tax-Free Childcare | 32% | 8% |
| Universal Credit | 26% | 51% |
| Childcare vouchers | 9% | 5% |
| I have not used any of these forms of support for childcare | 54% | 59% |
| Prefer not to say | 11% | 19% |
Base: Primary parents (n = 394) and special school parents (n = 130), excluding those who were ineligible for support or said that they did not use wraparound childcare. Data table reference = wraparound_tfc.
We asked parents who had not used government support to pay for wraparound childcare what was the main reason for this. This question was not asked of those parents who were ineligible for support or said that they did not use wraparound childcare.
Figure 40: Reasons for not using government funded support for wraparound childcare
| Response | Parents |
|---|---|
| I wasn’t aware of the government support available | 37% |
| The application process is too complicated | 9% |
| My childcare provider does not support childcare vouchers, Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit claims | 7% |
| Other | 28% |
| Don’t know | 16% |
| Prefer not to say | 3% |
Base: Primary and special school parents who had not used government funded support for wraparound childcare, excluding those who were ineligible for support or said that they did not use wraparound childcare (n = 210). Data table reference = wraparound_whynot.
Management of medical conditions
We asked parents whether they were happy to answer questions about whether their child had a long-term medical condition that required specific support arrangements in school. This was defined as including conditions that were clinically diagnosed or where diagnosis was ongoing, but excluded short-term issues that did not require ongoing support (such as minor injuries). A large majority (88%) of parents said they were willing to answer questions on this topic.
We asked those parents whether they considered their child to have any long-term health conditions. Overall, 25% of parents said their child had a long-term condition with a clinical diagnosis, 9% said their child had a long-term condition without a clinical diagnosis and 65% said their child did not have any such condition. Very few (2%) said that they preferred not to answer this specific question.
Among special school parents, 81% said their child had a long-term health condition with a clinical diagnosis, 6% said their child had a long-term condition without a clinical diagnosis and 11% said their child did not have any such condition. Very few (3%) said that they preferred not to answer this specific question.
We asked those parents whose child had a long-term health condition whether their child had an allergy that required management by their school: 25% of primary parents, 11% of secondary parents and 8% of special school parents said that their child had such an allergy.
We asked those parents whose child had a long-term health condition whether their child had an Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP). An IHP is a written plan that sets out how a pupil’s medical condition will be managed safely and effectively in an education setting, ensuring they can access education on an equal basis with their peers.
Among those parents whose child had a long-term health condition, 20% of primary parents, 21% of secondary parents and 43% of special school parents said that their child had an IHP.
Glossary of terms
Individualised Learner Record (ILR): The primary data collection about further education and work-based learning in England. It is requested from learning providers in England’s further education system.
National Pupil Database (NPD): A register data set of all pupils in state schools in England, compiled by DfE. It contains attainment data as children progress through school, as well as information on pupil background, absences and exclusions from school.
Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND): A child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they have a:
- significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age
- disability that prevents or hinders them from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions
Some children and young people who have SEND may also have a disability under the Equality Act 2010 that is a physical or mental impairment which has a long-term and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Where a disabled child or young person requires special educational provision, they will also be covered by the SEND definition.
Special schools: Schools that provide an education for children with a special educational need or disability. Almost all pupils in special schools have an education, health and care plan (EHCP), which are plans for children and young people aged up to 25 who need more support than is available through special educational needs support. EHC plans identify educational, health and social needs and set out the additional support to meet those needs.
Universal Credit: Universal Credit is a payment to help with living costs. People may be eligible to receive Universal Credit if they are on a low income, out of work, or unable to work.