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 Education.

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 in one of 5 community languages: English, Simplified Chinese, Arabic, Korean or Vietnamese. 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.

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 Education 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.