Wellbeing

Measurement
Framework for
Primary Schools

In partnership with

Child Outcomes
Research Consortium
CONTENTS
About the wellbeing measurement framework for primary schools 3
Me and my feelings (M&MF) 4
Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS) 5
Student Resilience Survey (SRS) 6
Useful reading 9

The measures included in this booklet are suggestions for age-appropriate

measures to use with primary school children.

Please note: This booklet is for reference use and information only. It is not intended
for the survey to be completed in this booklet format.
ABOUT THE WELLBEING MEASUREMENT
FRAMEWORK FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS
What is it? How it was developed
A set of questionnaires which can be used to The questionnaires have been chosen to measure
measure wellbeing and resilience in children and key aspects of wellbeing and resilience.
young people.
The original set of questionnaires was
How it works co-produced with project leads who are part
of HeadStart, a programme trialling a range of
The questionnaires are completed by students initiatives for improving resilience in 10–16 year
online (generally annually). olds, funded by the Big Lottery.
In this booklet a brief overview of each
questionnaire is provided, as well as a full list of Future use
items, details of subscales and response options.
The questionnaires: The aim is that schools can use some or all of the
questionnaires included in this survey and add
• Are suitable for a reading age of 9–11 years old
other questions as relevant to their context.
and are possible to complete during a lesson
• Include a balance of positively and negatively
For more information, contact:
worded questions
[email protected]
• Are considered to have acceptable
psychometric properties (i.e. they are reliable,
valid and sensitive to change).

Why it’s helpful

Students’ responses to the questionnaires:
• Provide a snapshot of the strengths and
challenges students are facing, which can be
used to target support
• Help schools to evaluate their interventions
• Send a positive message to parents
and carers that the school is focused on
students’ wellbeing.

3 Wellbeing Measurement Framework for Primary Schools

ME AND MY FEELINGS

Below is a questionnaire which is going to ask you how you feel. There are no right or wrong answers.
You should just pick the answer which is best for you.

STATEMENT NEVER SOMETIMES ALWAYS

I feel lonely

I cry a lot

I am unhappy

Nobody likes me

I worry a lot

I have problems sleeping

I wake up in the night

I am shy

I feel scared

I worry when I am at school

I get very angry

I lose my temper

I hit out when I am angry

I do things to hurt people

I am calm

I break things on purpose

Thank You!

© Deighton, Patalay, Vostanis, Tymms, Humphrey, Belsky, Wolpert and Fonagy

4 Wellbeing Measurement Framework for Primary Schools

STUDENTS’ LIFE SATISFACTION SCALE
We would like to know what thoughts about life you have had during the past several weeks. Think
about how you spend each day and night and then think about how your life has been during most of
this time. Here are some questions that ask you to indicate your satisfaction with your overall life.
Tick the box next to each statement that indicates the extent to which you agree or disagree with
that statement. It is important to know what you REALLY think, so please answer the questions
the way you really think, not how you should think. This is NOT a test. There are NO right or
wrong answers.

STRONGLY MODERATELY MILDLY MILDLY MODERATELY STRONGLY

STATEMENT
DISAGREE DISAGREE DISAGREE AGREE AGREE AGREE

My life is going well

My life is just right

I would like to change
many things in my life
I wish I had a di�erent
kind of life
I have a good life

I have what I want in life

My life is better than
most kids

Huebner, E. S. (1991). Initial development of the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale. School Psychology International, 12, 231–243.

Are you or have you ever been a young carer?

Young carers are children and young people under 18 who provide regular or ongoing care to a family
member who has an illness, disability, mental health condition or drug/alcohol dependency.

x
Yes

No

5 Wellbeing Measurement Framework for Primary Schools

MEASURES OF MECHANISMS
SUPPORTING GOOD OUTCOMES

STUDENT RESILIENCE SURVEY SRS)

Please read every statement carefully and circle the answer that �ts you best.

AT HOME, THERE IS AN ADULT WHO... NEVER ALWAYS

... is interested in my school work 1 2 3 4 5

... believes that I will be a success 1 2 3 4 5

... wants me to do my best 1 2 3 4 5

... listens to me when I have something to say 1 2 3 4 5

AT SCHOOL, THERE IS AN ADULT WHO... NEVER ALWAYS

... really cares about me 1 2 3 4 5

... tells me when I do a good job 1 2 3 4 5

... listens to me when I have something to say 1 2 3 4 5

... believes that I will be a success 1 2 3 4 5

AWAY FROM SCHOOL, THERE IS AN ADULT WHO... NEVER ALWAYS

... really cares about me 1 2 3 4 5

... tells me when I do a good job 1 2 3 4 5

... believes that I will be a success 1 2 3 4 5

... I trust 1 2 3 4 5

6 Wellbeing Measurement Framework for Primary Schools

AWAY FROM SCHOOL... NEVER ALWAYS

... I am a member of a club, sports team, church

1 2 3 4 5
group, or other group
... I take lessons in music, arts, sports,
1 2 3 4 5
or have a hobby

ARE THERE STUDENTS AT YOUR SCHOOL WHO WOULD... NEVER ALWAYS

... choose you on their team at school 1 2 3 4 5

… tell you you’re good at doing things 1 2 3 4 5

... explain the rules of a game if you didn't understand them 1 2 3 4 5

... invite you to their home 1 2 3 4 5

... share things with you 1 2 3 4 5

... help you if you hurt yourself 1 2 3 4 5

... miss you if you weren’t at school 1 2 3 4 5

... make you feel better if something is bothering you 1 2 3 4 5

... pick you for a partner 1 2 3 4 5

... help you if other students are being mean to you 1 2 3 4 5

... tell you you’re their friend 1 2 3 4 5

... ask you to join in when you are all alone 1 2 3 4 5

... tell you secrets 1 2 3 4 5

7 Wellbeing Measurement Framework for Primary Schools

 NEVER ALWAYS

I do things at home that make a di�erence

1 2 3 4 5
(i.e. make things better)
I help my family make decisions 1 2 3 4 5

At school, I decide things like class activities or rules 1 2 3 4 5

I do things at school that make a di�erence (i.e. make things
1 2 3 4 5
better)
I can work out my problems 1 2 3 4 5

I can do most things if I try 1 2 3 4 5

There are many things that I do well 1 2 3 4 5

I feel bad when someone gets their feelings hurt 1 2 3 4 5

I try to understand what other people feel 1 2 3 4 5

When I need help, I nd someone to talk to 1 2 3 4 5

I know where to go for help when I have a problem 1 2 3 4 5

I try to work out problems by talking about them 1 2 3 4 5

I have goals and plans for the future 1 2 3 4 5

I think I will be successful when I grow up 1 2 3 4 5

8 Wellbeing Measurement Framework for Primary Schools

USEFUL READING
ME AND MY FEELINGS
Deighton, J., Tymms, P., Vostanis, P., Belsky, J., Fonagy, P., Brown, A., Martin, A., Patalay, P.
& Wolpert, W. (2013). The development of a school-based measure of child mental health.
Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 31(3), 247–257.
Wolpert, M., Deighton, J., Patalay, P., Martin, A., Fitzgerald, N.F., Demir, E.,...Meadows, P. (2011).
Me and My School: Findings from the National Evaluation of Targeted Mental Health in Schools
2008–2011. (Research Report DFE-RR177). Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/
uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/ le/184060/DFE-RR177.pdf.

STUDENT LIFE SATISFACTION SCALE

Huebner, E. S. (1991). Further validation of the students’ life satisfaction scale: The
independence of satisfaction and a�ect ratings. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 9(4),
363–368.
Huebner, E. S. (1991). Initial development of the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale. School
Psychology International, 12(3), 231–243.

STUDENT RESILIENCE SURVEY

California Department of Education. (2004). California Healthy Kids Survey. America: California
Safe and Healthy Kids program o ce.
Ladd, G.W., Kochenderfer, B. J., & Coleman, C.C. (1996). Friendship quality as a predictor of
young children’s early school adjustment. Child Development, 67, 1103–1118.
Lereya, T.S., Humphrey, N., Patalay, P., Wolpert, M. Böhnke, J.R., Macdougall, A., & Deighton, J.
(2016). The Student Resilience Survey: psychometric validation and associations with mental
health. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 10(44), 1–15.
Sun, J. & Stewart, D. (2007). Development of population-based resilience measures in the
primary school setting. Health Education, 107(6), 575–99.