Introduction

Dear Participant,

Thank you for participating in this survey, which will generate data to contribute to my new book - provisional title: Real Lives of Teachers: Navigating the Highs and Lows of Schools today. Please complete BOTH sections of the survey.

Please note that responses are invited from all school staff (including teaching assistants, finance staff, pastoral staff etc.) and that responses from governors/trustees as well as former education professionals are also welcome.

I'd like to gather your stories - your reflections on key incidents or chains of events in your career that had a lasting impact on you, and to gain an understanding of how these have contributed to your attitude to and feelings about the profession.

I'll be using my skills in narrative enquiry and critical incident theory from my doctoral studies to analyse the data, though the book will be highly accessible and is not a 'heavy' academic work! I will be drawing out key themes and generating ideas and recommendations for individuals and the sector as a whole, linked to wellbeing, effectiveness, recruitment and retention.

Full ethical considerations apply. All responses will be anonymised and no institution or teacher will be named in the findings. You are free to withdraw from the process at any point before the anticipated publication date of September 2024 by emailing emmakell@me.com, at which point your data will be permanently deleted and play no role in the overall findings.

I am extremely grateful to you for your time and your insights. For any questions or comments on the research, please contact emmakell@me.com.
Let's start with some questions about you - please note that I'm aiming to represent a diverse range of voices, but that you have the 'prefer not to say' option for questions related to your identity.

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* 1. What is your name? (N.B this is for my reference only and will not be used in any of the findings or shared in any other way.)

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* 2. What is your email address?

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* 3. What country are you based in?

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* 4. What is your age?

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* 5. What is your gender?

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* 6. What is your sexual orientation?

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* 7. What is your ethnicity?

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* 8. What is your religious affiliation, if any?

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* 9. Do you consider yourself neurodivergent?

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* 10. Do you consider yourself a person with a disability?

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* 11. What is your current role? (If you are no longer working in schools, please indicate your most recent role in a school.)

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* 12. Please describe your current or most recent school context in your own words (phase - e.g. primary, secondary, early years; school type - independent, state or academy).

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* 13. For how long have you been working in schools?

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* 14. For how long have you been working in your current role?

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* 15. If you worked in another sector or sectors prior to working in schools, what was/were your role(s)?