Information for parents

Pupil Attitudes to Self and School (PASS) is an assessment that involves students answering survey style questions that takes 20-30 minutes. It gives staff an indication of how a student is thinking and what their attitude to school and learning is. It is based on a trusted psychometric measure and is widely used by thousands of schools in the UK. 

PASS helps staff understand why students may be reluctant, disengaged, or disruptive learners by sensitively exploring social and emotional wellbeing. It then provides interventions and guidance so that issues can start to be addressed immediately and effectively.  

PASS results can indicate whether a student is at risk from or is currently experiencing social exclusion or bullying from peers or staff, why there may be issues with their attendance or if they are at risk of truanting in the future, why they exhibit certain behavioural issues, or why their academic results may be at risk due to social and wellbeing issues.  

It is important for students to have a positive attitude towards school and learning in order to be effective learners. Sometimes it can be difficult however for staff to understand the internal cause of a student’s external behaviour. PASS can be used to investigate this.

It allows staff to understand actual causes of long-standing and complex behavioural problems as well as providing early identification of those who may be at risk of developing behavioural concerns in the future. Using PASS allows staff to understand, prevent and solve behavioural issues, rather than simply reacting to behavioural issues in a disciplinary way as and when they occur. 

PASS can also be used to identify students who seem to achieve good results and have no behavioural concerns, but who harbour self-worth or motivational issues that puts their future achievement at risk. Without PASS, these students can remain ‘invisible’, with staff only finding out they were experiencing problems after their results have been impacted. 

Students’ answers to PASS may influence staff to implement interventions at whole school, class or individual level. 

PASS is a formative assessment, which means that it does not count towards any formal mark or grade. It is however taken in formal exam style conditions, to ensure individual responses.

There is no need for revision or training as PASS is intended to gain an accurate understanding of how a student honestly feels about themselves and their school at that moment in time. There are no right or wrong answers, and the child should not be coached in any way regarding their responses.

If you have any concerns or questions about the test, please contact your school. Please note that only schools can buy the PASS survey.