The complete guide to running a teacher survey

A quick insight: Teacher surveys capture insight into the unique experiences and pressures educators face, from workload and autonomy to support and wellbeing. When designed with context in mind and linked to visible action, they help education leaders understand what matters most to their staff, strengthen trust and shape improvements that support retention, morale and performance across classrooms and campuses.

When teaching staff feel heard, their voice shapes better leadership, stronger relationships, and more effective school decisions. 

A well-structured teacher survey gives schools the insight they need to understand what’s working, what’s not and what can change for the better. Whatever you’re trying to achieve, whether it’s improved engagement, to support employee wellbeing or to prepare for inspections, the right survey can guide meaningful action.

This guide outlines what a teacher survey should include, how to make it credible and how to act on the results to drive lasting improvements.

Related: Teaching in further education: Engagement boosts & barriers

What is a teacher survey and why it matters

A teacher survey is a structured way to gather anonymous feedback from school staff on a wide range of issues, including leadership, communication, workload and organisational culture. It helps leadership teams understand employee sentiment and identify areas where change is needed.

These surveys give teaching staff a safe channel to share their views and experiences, whether they feel overworked, unheard or largely positive about recent changes. This is particularly important in education, where pressures can build quickly and where early intervention makes a real difference.

A well-planned teacher survey can bring to light challenges that may otherwise go unspoken. It provides leadership with clear evidence to support strategic decisions, helps build trust, and contributes to better employee retention.

The top benefits of running a teacher survey

When schools commit to running a teacher survey properly and follow through on the findings, they can expect long-term impact.

We’ve seen some remarkable progress while working with our FE clients. Some of the main benefits include:

1. Stronger engagement across staff

By giving teachers a voice in how the school is run, surveys promote a culture of listening. This can lead to higher engagement and a stronger sense of purpose across roles.

2. Early identification of problems

From unclear communication to mounting workloads, a teacher survey can reveal problems before they affect retention or performance.

3. Better support for wellbeing

Data from surveys can highlight areas where staff are under pressure, helping leadership teams make changes that support mental health and wellbeing. According to the Education Support Teacher Wellbeing Index, more than half (59%) of education staff in the UK consider leaving their roles due to poor mental health.

4. Higher retention and recruitment confidence

When schools are responsive to feedback, staff are more likely to stay. A strong internal culture also supports recruitment, helping attract applicants in a competitive market.

5. Improved planning and inspection readiness

The insights from a teacher survey can help shape school improvement plans, support compliance with standards and contribute to preparation for Ofsted and other inspections.

Why teacher surveys matter for school performance

Schools rely on engaged, supported teaching staff. Yet high workload, staffing pressures and lack of involvement in decision-making can quickly lead to feelings of frustration and general burnout. According to a 2023 report from the Education Support charity, 78% of UK education staff said they experienced stress at work.

A teacher survey helps schools measure employee sentiment across these areas. When run properly, it provides an honest, anonymous channel for staff to share feedback about their working environment. It gives school leaders and governing bodies data to make confident decisions that improve culture, performance and retention.

What makes a teacher survey meaningful?

A meaningful teacher survey goes beyond surface-level tick boxes. It should ask relevant, research-based questions and be easy for teachers to complete quickly, even during a busy term.

The best surveys are:

• Confidential: Staff must feel safe sharing honest views
• Focused: Clear on purpose, with questions linked to actions
• Measured over time: So you can track progress and compare results
• Benchmarked: Against sector standards to provide context

It’s important to make sure surveys are inclusive, covering topics relevant to all staff roles. From teaching assistants to department heads, every experience adds value to the results.

What to include in a teacher survey

Surveys should be structured around themes that are proven to impact employee experience in schools. At People Insight, we recommend starting with the following areas (feel free to get in touch with us to discuss specific questions we would recommend):

1. Leadership and communication

How supported do staff feel by senior leaders? Are decisions communicated clearly and respectfully? Do staff trust leadership to listen and respond?

2. Workload and resourcing

Are teachers able to do their job well within contracted hours? Are resources sufficient for lesson planning and delivery?

3. Wellbeing and stress

Do staff feel their wellbeing is supported? Is help available for those experiencing stress or burnout?

4. Relationships and inclusion

Do staff feel respected by their colleagues? Is the school an inclusive environment where all employees feel they belong?

5. Career development and recognition

Are there opportunities to develop professionally? Do staff feel recognised for their contributions?

Including space for free-text comments also allows respondents to share more detail or raise issues not covered by the set questions.

When (and how) to launch your survey

Timing is everything. The timing of a teacher survey affects both its uptake and the value of the responses (see our post on how to increase your survey response rate for more info). Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• It’s best to avoid peak periods like exam season or end of term, when stress and time constraints can reduce participation or skew results.
• Promote the survey with clear messaging about why it’s being run and how feedback will be used. 
• Reassure staff about confidentiality and encourage open, constructive responses.
• Keep the survey open for at least two weeks to give staff time to take part

It can also help to have a trusted third party manage the survey process, especially when dealing with sensitive topics like wellbeing or leadership performance. An external partner like People Insight (a trusted employee experience platform) provides a level of neutrality and helps schools gain honest insights.

Analysing the results and taking action

Collecting feedback is only useful if it leads to action. Post-survey action planning is hugely important for this reason. Survey results should be reviewed carefully and shared with staff in a timely, transparent way. Highlight areas where the school is performing well, and clearly acknowledge issues that need attention.

From here, action plans should be developed at both leadership and departmental level. These plans must include:

• Clear priorities based on the feedback
• Realistic, time-bound goals
• Named leads for each action
• Regular check-ins and communication

Common mistakes to avoid when running a teacher survey

Not acting on results

When staff take time to share feedback but don’t see change, trust in the process can drop. Always share a summary of what was heard and what will be done next.

Asking too many or irrelevant questions

Keep the survey concise and focused. Overly long surveys reduce response rates and dilute the most important themes.

Collecting feedback too infrequently

One-off surveys can miss patterns. Tracking employee sentiment over time gives better insight into what’s improving and where support is still needed.

Real-world example: Making change happen

At People Insight, we worked with Stamford Endowed Schools to help them bring their ‘One Team’ vision to life. While staff were generally positive, leadership wanted deeper insight into how people were feeling, and how to act on it.

Using our employee survey platform, they gathered feedback across all departments. The results highlighted key areas for improvement, including internal communication, wellbeing and belief that leaders will take action on the results from the survey (which we label ‘belief in action’).

In response, the schools launched targeted initiatives, including a refreshed internal comms strategy and wellbeing support. The impact was clear: employee engagement scores rose to 77% (up 5 points), belief in action increased by 11 points and wellbeing scores jumped 14 points.

This is the power of listening with intent; moving beyond data collection to real, measurable change.

Teacher surveys, when done the right way, are a remarkable tools for positive change. They offer valuable insight into how schools function day to day. They open conversations that often go unspoken and help education leaders take practical steps to improve their schools for both staff and students.

This is especially relevant for further education institutions, where diverse staff roles, stretched budgets and ongoing reform mean employee experience can vary widely. Listening carefully through surveys, and acting thoughtfully, can help further education providers stay responsive and connected to their employees’ reality.

Ready to take the next step? If you’re part of a further education provider looking to understand your staff experience, we can help. Our employee survey platform is designed to gather honest feedback and guide improvement. Get in touch about staff surveys in schools and colleges.

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