Annual Research Survey
COBIS Annual Research Survey 2024
The 2024 COBIS Annual Research survey, delivered in partnership with GL Education, collected information from COBIS schools relating to the 2023/24 academic year. The survey collected information about assessment and curriculum choices, student and teacher numbers, and university destinations, as well as information about diversity, wellbeing, digital innovation, curriculum reform, mobile phone policies, and the impact of geo-political conflict in schools. The full report is now available to COBIS members and Supporting Associates via the Members Area (under Resources).
Selected Headlines (data collected in September/October 2024):
- Student numbers in COBIS schools remain consistently strong, with 58% of responding schools reporting an increase in student numbers compared to last year.
- 39% of responding schools have seen a notable or significant change to the nationalities that make up their student bodies in the past two years. These changes vary from region to region, but increases in Chinese, Russian, and Ukrainian nationals are the most common responses.
- 87% of responding schools find it somewhat or very challenging to recruit the required quality of teaching staff (down from 91% in 2023), and 96% of respondents report that they are ‘sometimes’ or ‘always’ able to recruit candidates that meet their expectations (up from 94% in 2023)
- 32% of schools offer flexible working arrangements for teaching staff, but a higher proportion (45%) offer flexible working for support and administrative staff.
- Wellbeing and mental health of the school community continues to be a key priority for schools, with respondents observing a range of challenges in their school community in the past two years including: increases in mental health issues (53%); increases in wellbeing issues (50%); and unacceptable online behaviour (40%). However, the percentage of schools reporting increases in mental health and wellbeing issues has declined compared to 2023.
- Schools continue to adapt their curriculum to meet the needs of students. Over the past two years, more than half of responding schools (53%) have increased their focus on wellbeing within the curriculum. A significant proportion of schools have also increased their focus on leadership skills (41%), life skills (40%), and digital skills and literacy (40%).
- 53% of respondents teach students how to use artificial intelligence responsibly and appropriately. This is a significant increase on last year’s response (25%) when schools were asked about use of AI for the first time.
- The volume of schools considering training staff on AI use, developing school polices on AI use, and adapting homework policies in light of AI advances has decreased compared to last year, while the schools reporting having implemented training and policies has increased, suggesting that schools have now moved ahead the training and policy changes that were being considered in 2023.
- The majority of responding secondary schools (85%) indicated that mobile phones are banned entirely or significantly restricted in schools (i.e. handed in upon arrival, or not taken out during the school day).
- 52% of secondary schools reported that students may have their mobile phones in school, but these must be kept in their bag/locker or locked in a pouch, while 26% have banned mobile phones outright in school. 30% of secondary schools have amended their mobile phone policy within the last 2 years.
- 91% of leavers from COBIS Schools (from 2023/24) went on to University; 39% of those leavers went on to University in the UK (down from 45% in 2023 and 44% in 2022).
- For students who chose University destinations in countries other than the UK, cost of University in the UK (including cost of living) remains the top factor believed to influence the decision (63%).
- More than half of schools (53%) felt that current and recent geo-political conflicts had a significant or moderate impact on their school and community.
- The impact of geo-political conflict manifests in schools in various ways. A third of schools reported an increase in anxiety in students as a result, or linked to, geo-political conflicts. More than 30% of schools reported conflicts/confrontations between students and parental views impacting student behaviour or relationships. 22% of schools reported confrontations between parents.
- Two thirds of schools indicate that training for staff has made the most significant positive impact on DEIJB within their school in the past two years.
- Close to half (46%) of schools reported that local context and legislation was a barrier to progress on DEIJB in their school (down from 54% in 2023), alongside parental expectations (34%) and competing priorities (30%).
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Previous Annual Research Survey Highlights
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For queries on COBIS research, please contact cpd@cobis.org.uk