Engaging the student voice in dialogue with Section 50 inspection criteria in Church in Wales primary schools: A study in psychometric assessment

The inspection criteria for schools with a religious character within the state-maintained system in England and Wales require the sponsoring body to report on aspects of the distinctiveness of the school ethos and on school worship. This paper argues that the inspection process could be enhanced by taking into account the student voice on these areas. The paper then reports on a pilot study conducted among 1,899 students between the ages of 9 and 11 years, attending year-five and year-six classes within Church in Wales primary schools. On the basis of this pilot study six short scales were constructed to assess student attitude toward: school ethos, school experience, school teachers, relationships in school, school environment, and school worship. The data reported satisfactory internal consistency reliability for each of the six scales. The scales are commended for further application