Symphony Question: Coronavirus and half term

After our successful Young People’s General Election, we’ve started asking weekly questions of students from our member schools around the UK.

We call these Symphony Questions, and it’s time for the results from Week 5!

Primary and secondary schools were asked different questions this week, involving about 1500 students from around the country.

Secondary Question: Last week a third person in the UK was diagnosed with Coronavirus. Do you think people should be rightfully worried?

Result: It’s a little worrying

Involving students from around England, the winner in this week’s secondary question is ‘It’s a little worrying’ with 44% of the vote.

There seems to be quite a diversity of opinion on this issue, but the largest group of secondary students says that they are somewhat worried about the virus. When combined with the 22% of students who answered ‘It is very worrying’, it appears that the majority of secondary students are concerned about the new diagnoses of the Coronavirus in the UK.

Not all students are worried about this issue, however. 15% say ‘It’s nothing to worry about’, and there is a strong feeling of scepticism from the 19% who say ‘It’s all media hype’. In this era of ‘fake news’, it appears that there may be a significant group of young people who are less trusting of what the media has to say on current events such as these.

Primary Question: It's half term next week. What do you think is the best way to spend the time?

Result: Spending time with your family

This week’s primary question involved students from Leeds, Norwich, and Sheffield, who overwhelmingly agree that ‘Spending time with your family’ is the best way to spend half term.

While children may seem like they can’t take their eyes away from their phones and tablets, these results suggest that they place a great deal of value on activities away from technology.

Only 9% said ‘Playing on your phone/tablet/computer’, while a clear majority of 66% thinks that spending time with family is the best thing to do during the time off from school. A significant 20% said ‘Going on adventures’, which certainly sounds like an exciting way to spend the time.

It does seem that no matter what they choose to do during the break, primary students find a great deal of value in getting relaxation during their time off, as only 5% said they think the best way to spend half term is ‘Missing school’.

However students and teachers choose to spend half term next week, we hope that they enjoy their break!

There won’t be a Symphony Question next week because of half term, but keep an eye out for a new question the next week!

Our New Year’s Resolution to our membership is to help them come up with relevant, engaging and thoughtful questions to help get all pupils having their say. Schools usually come up with their own meetings, but we’re giving them additional questions if they’d like them.

Following the successful trial of this form in our General Election Question Series, for 2020 we’ll be recommending a blend of action-led & topical questions to ask each week.

Want to get involved or suggest a question? Send us an email at membership@smartschoolcouncils.org.uk