Student Voice

At North Durham Academy, we place great importance on student voice. We actively listen to our students and take meaningful action in response to their feedback.

May 2026

Our recent student survey on Yondr pouches, phone use, and online safety highlighted a confident and informed school community. The results showed strong awareness of how to stay safe online and where to seek support if needed.

Students demonstrated positive digital habits, with all respondents saying they know how to keep themselves safe online and 95% understanding how to report concerns. It was also encouraging to see that 94% of students have a trusted adult they can talk to about online issues.

The survey reflected students’ enthusiasm for technology and social media, while also showing the positive impact of our ongoing online safety education across school.

Actions for school to support students:

• Continue delivering strong online safety education.

• Provide additional learning around communicating safely with strangers online, as nearly half of students reported having spoken to someone they did not know online.

• Strengthen student voice opportunities by exploring why a high percentage of students dislike the Yondr pouches and identifying specific concerns such as convenience, trust, anxiety, or social connection.

• Continue promoting trusted adults and reporting systems in school so students remain confident seeking support.

• Explore healthy screen time and digital wellbeing further, particularly as many students reported increased phone use outside school hours.

Student Voice - May

February 2026

In February, students were invited to share their views through a range of questions, and we are pleased to share some of the outcomes. We are particularly proud to confirm that all students reported having a trusted adult in school—an important reflection of the strong relationships within our community.

Student feedback also highlighted an area for improvement: some students were unsure where to locate the safeguarding team. In response, we have made changes to ensure support is more visible and accessible. Mrs Menear and Miss Hood are now based in a central location near the main reception, making it easier for students to find and approach them.

We hope this change will encourage students to continue seeking support whenever they need it, knowing that help is always close by. At North Durham Academy, listening to our students and acting on their feedback remains at the heart of everything we do.

Student Voice - February

December 2025

In December, we sought to understand whether students felt they had a trusted adult they could turn to, as well as their awareness of how to stay safe online and their understanding of different categories of abuse. The feedback gathered was largely positive, which is encouraging. However, it also highlighted areas where further improvement is needed—particularly in ensuring that all students feel they have a trusted adult and in strengthening their understanding of the different types of abuse.

In response, we shared these student insights during a whole-staff personal development session. This provided an opportunity for staff to reflect and further enhance relationships with students, helping to foster a stronger sense of belonging across the academy.

As part of this ongoing work, we developed a child-friendly safeguarding document. This includes clear information on the four categories of abuse, as well as key staff contact details. The document has been shared with all students to ensure they know where to seek support and feel confident in doing so.

North Durham Academy