FAIRFIELD Prep School, part of Loughborough Schools Foundation is celebrating exceptional results following a whole-school pupil voice survey conducted in partnership with Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS).
As the UK marks the National Year of Reading 2026, a campaign led by the Department for Education in partnership with the National Literacy Trust to address declining reading numbers among young people, Fairfield has bucked the national trend, with reading emerging as a particular strength.
Fairfield achieved a reading score 20% above the benchmark of schools within the IAPS survey, placing the school among the strongest performers and underlining its commitment to fostering a genuine love of reading across the Prep School.
The new IAPS survey, which was formed by the heads of IAPS schools and open to its pupils, saw an impressive 339 pupils from Years 1 to 6 take part in the survey. Representing a remarkable 95% response rate, these results are significantly higher than typical participation in this new IAPS formed survey.
The results highlight a thriving school community:
- 95% of pupils say they feel happy at school
- 95% say they enjoy their lessons
- 98% say their teachers explain learning clearly
- 93% feel encouraged to try new things
Going further to hear every voice
While the IAPS survey is designed for pupils in Years 3 to 6, Fairfield was determined to capture the views of its youngest learners too.
Jamie Moseley-Sarsfield, Deputy Head Academic at Fairfield Prep School, adapted the survey to incorporate Years 1 and 2, to give a wider school picture.
He said: “Pupil voice is incredibly important to us at Fairfield. While we were thrilled with the results from Years 3 to 6, we felt strongly that we wanted a complete picture of the pupil experience and that meant including our youngest learners.
“Repurposing the survey allowed us to retain meaningful comparison while making it accessible and engaging. The results are hugely affirming for our staff, but their real value lies in what we learn from them. Pupil voice isn’t just about celebrating success, it’s about continually asking how we can be even better for our children.
“Listening to pupils is not a one-off initiative, but an ongoing commitment to strengthening the experience of every child.”
IAPS are currently working with Fairfield to explore how the school successfully adapted the survey for younger pupils and how the insights gathered will inform future strategic development.
The results of the survey have also prompted an ambition to create a Reading Attitude survey across Fairfield Prep School, giving greater insight into reading across the school.
For more information on Loughborough Schools Foundation, visit https://lsf.org/