Headteacher's Blog Issue 11

Listening, Reflecting, Improving: Parent Survey 2026

“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” — John Dewey 

The outcomes of the March 2026 Parent Survey are highly encouraging and reflect significant strengths across the school community. With 89% of parents indicating that they would recommend the school, alongside particularly strong responses around safety (93%), student happiness (88%), and careers provision (90%), the overall picture is both positive and reassuring. 

Across the survey, a clear and consistent message emerges: this is a school where students feel secure, supported and able to make meaningful progress. Families frequently describe children enjoying school and flourishing within a caring and ambitious environment, supported by strong pastoral care. This reflects the daily dedication and professionalism of staff and provides a strong foundation for continued growth and improvement. 

At the same time, the survey offers valuable opportunities for professional reflection. The key theme is consistency rather than quality. Experiences can vary, particularly in communication, aspects of classroom practice and the handling of concerns. This aligns closely with our self-evaluation: there is much strong practice across the school, and our focus now is on ensuring that this is experienced consistently by all members of the community. 

Linked to this it is possible to see in the survey a desire for greater clarity of expectations and shared understanding. Differences in perception do not usually stem from the standards themselves, but from how clearly and consistently they are communicated and understood. Whether relating to routines, behaviour or decision-making, small inconsistencies can shape overall experience. With this in mind we will continue to look forwards to articulate our high expectations with families and students, and then apply with consistency and fairness. 

In relation to expectations for students, we are grateful for the continued support of families. We ask for the highest standards and remain committed to developing our young people as self-regulating, responsible and compassionate young adults. At times this may involve challenge or differing perspectives, but it is important that there is shared confidence in our approach and strong alignment in values. We will continue to take a firm and supportive approach in addressing behaviour that disrupts the learning of others, and we recognise that families value the importance of clear, fair and consistent sanctions in this area. 

The survey sets a constructive direction: not wholesale change, but greater consistency in what we already do well, strengthening the link between intention and experience so that all students encounter the same high standard every day. 

The Parent Survey sits within a wider cycle of review alongside self-evaluation and strategic planning. It informs priorities for the year ahead and supports ongoing refinement as we move through the final short term. The emerging Action Plan for 2026–27 reflects this clearly. Its focus is consistency, clarity and coherence: ensuring expectations are understood, routines are predictable, and classroom experiences are reliably strong. This includes strengthening communication with families still further, aligning practice across the school, and ensuring parents and staff work together in reinforcing expectations and supporting positive behaviour. 

Alongside this, it is clear from parent voice that there is a strong desire to continue balancing high academic achievement with the breadth and richness of curriculum opportunities on offer. There was also recognition from families that the provision of extensive extra-curricular opportunities carries a financial cost. Finally, we have incorporated into our planning for 2026–27, in line with parent feedback, greater clarity around how we support student wellbeing and promote positive mental health. 

This relates directly to our values of Respect, Participate and Reach, which are not only expectations for students, but a shared framework for the whole school community. They underpin how we work as staff, shape our professional development, and inform the partnership we seek with families in supporting young people. These values are already evident across school life. Respect should be visible in all interactions across the community, participation enabled through reliable and inclusive practice in and beyond the classroom, and all students supported, through shared expectations and collective commitment from school and families alike, to reach their full potential. 

Thank you for your engagement with parent voice and for your contribution to the ongoing process of reflection and renewal that sits at the heart of any successful organisation. 

Next term, the senior leadership team will contribute to a one-off Burfordian, sharing reflections on the foundations of the plan for the year ahead. This will explore some of the educational research that informs our decision-making, from boundary setting and curriculum design through to supporting positive mental health and wellbeing. 

Finally, I thought I would finish with a few words from parents at Burford: 

“Our child is thriving and enjoying school.” 

“Pastoral support… incredible.” 

“Teachers are approachable and helpful.” 

These comments capture much of what is strongest about the school. There is already a great deal to celebrate. Our task now is to build on this strong foundation with clarity, consistency and shared purpose, so that this positive experience becomes the lived reality for every student, every day.