At Lipson Cooperative Academy, leaders used pupil feedback to reflect carefully on how safe and supported pupils felt in the day-to-day life of the school. Many pupils responded positively in the Autumn engagement survey, with the average score for ‘I feel safe at school’ at 7.0/10 at Lipson, compared to 6.6/10 nationally in secondary schools. However, the data highlighted some areas, particularly among girls, where there was more to do.

“We knew we had areas to improve,” said Brad Turner, Deputy Headteacher. “The data helped us focus on what really matters.”

The leadership team acted quickly and thoughtfully. They didn’t view the findings as a failure, but as a prompt to dig deeper and take practical steps to strengthen trust and communication across the site.

One of the first actions was increasing staff visibility. Senior leaders, teachers and pastoral staff were asked to be present in key corridors and social spaces throughout the day, not as a policing presence, but to show pupils that adults were around and available. They also launched a “hello, not ignore” approach - a simple expectation that staff acknowledge every pupil they pass.

“They needed to know that when they said something didn’t feel right, we’d believe them, and we’d act,” Brad explained.

The school also reviewed its reporting systems. They created new, easier ways for pupils to flag concerns, including anonymous forms and QR code posters. These were backed up with clear communication: who would see the information, what would happen next, and how pupils would be kept in the loop.

“If a pupil tells us something, and we act on it — they tell someone else,” said Brad. “And that’s how confidence grows.”

The team didn’t stop at visibility or response. They also worked to embed respectful relationships into the wider curriculum and pastoral programme. Assemblies, tutor time and PSHE were all used to reinforce expectations around how pupils treat one another and how to speak up if something feels wrong.

By the time the Spring survey came around, leaders noted a shift in feedback, with pupils reporting feeling safer in school than the national secondary benchmark: they scored +0.4 higher for the question ‘I feel safe in school’ than the national benchmark of 6.3/10. While there was still work to do, Headteacher Martin Brook described a stronger sense of trust beginning to build.

“It’s not just about score improvement,” he said. “It’s about whether they believe this is their space, and that we’re on their side.”

Key strategies:

• Used pupil feedback to focus on practical improvements

• Increased staff visibility in key areas with a relational approach

• Improved systems for pupils to share concerns safely

• Embedded safety messaging into tutor time and the curriculum

• Worked to build trust through consistent follow-up and visible, calm leadership