Students in our school have been invited to take part in a data collection. The data collection process will take place this week at school.

Purpose of the data collection

Young people’s sense of wellbeing is an important part of their development and how they learn at school. The purpose of the collection is to seek students’ views about their wellbeing and their engagement with school. Across the State, students in year levels 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 will participate in the Wellbeing and Engagement Collection. The information collected will help inform work in the education system and broader community to help improve young people’s health and wellbeing.

What is the data collection about?

The data collection asks young people about their 1) Social and Emotional Wellbeing: About you; 2) School Relationships and Engagement: About your relationships and learning in school; and 3) Physical Health and Wellbeing: About your health, lifestyle and after school activities. Students’ answers will be kept confidential – no one will use the results to identify individual students.

What is involved in project participation?

Teachers will arrange for students to undertake the data collection during one or two class lessons. Students will be asked if he or she would like to participate and will be free to withdraw at any time. You may withdraw your child from the data collection at any time.  

How will young people’s information be kept confidential?

The information that is collected from each student through the data collection will be kept confidential by:

  • Keeping information that could identify a student, such as names and addresses, separately at all times from the responses.
  • Only analysing students’ responses to each question after student names and addresses are removed.
  • Only creating reports based on the data for groups of students – no individual person will be able to be identified from a report.
  • Only using identifying information to combine the collection data with other educational data for statistical analysis and research.

 Will schools, classes or young people be “ranked” in any way?

No. The findings will not be used to rank or determine the performance of schools.

Where can I get more information?

Further information can be found at www.decd.sa.gov.au (search:wec) or can be collected from the school. For questions or concerns, or to view the questions, please contact Betty Curzons, Project Manager, via email at DECD.WEC@sa.gov.au or by phone at (08) 8226-9144.

How can I withdraw my child from the collection?

If you wish to withdraw your child from the collection process, please contact your child’s classroom teacher.