What data do Understanding Society collect?
Understanding Society is a study of individuals within their household context. We interview all members of the household over the age of ten and we ask parents a variety of questions for younger children. In the youth questionnaire (age 10-15) we ask children about their experiences at school and home. With parent’s consent, we link the survey information to information about the schools children attend and their school results. Understanding Society is longitudinal, so follows the same people over time. This means we collect information which captures the complex picture of personal and household interactions with education; the effects of institutional performance, different stages of education, family background, ethnicity, deprivation and social norms.
To find out about the specific questions asked in the Study use the index terms where you can search for education variables including backgound and attainments, expecations and recent education and training. The questionnaire modules show the areas covered in each wave of the Study and allow you to see the actual questions asked in the survey.
Education data linkage
Education data linkage allows researchers to analyse information from eductational records together with Understanding Society. Data can only be linked if Understanding Society participants give their informed consent. Understanding Society has been linked to the National Pupil Database for England and to data from the Scottish Government. The NPD England combines the examination results of pupils with information on pupil and school characteristics and is an amalgamation of a number of different datasets, including Key Stage attainment data and Schools Census data. Scottish education data is an amalgamation of different invidividual and school-level datasets, including attainment data and Pupils and Schools Staff Census data. The education data linkage area gives more information, links to access these data and the specialist user guide.
Education during the Covid-19 pandemic
Schooling for children in the UK was massively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, with schools closing for most children during parts of 2020 and 2021. The Understanding Society COVID-19 survey asked questions about children’s involvement in schooling during this period, access to online learning and technology, and who in the household helped children with their online lessons and home education. Researchers at the Institute for Social and Economic Research looked at how children and their families coped with the changes in education during Covid-19. You can read their report here: Coping with school closures: changes in home-schooling during Covid-19.
Find the publications on education and the pandemic in our publications library.
Podcast
Listen to Topic Champion, Professor Birgitta Rabe, talk about how the pandemic related school closures affected children in the UK.
Need help?
Visit our new user pathway to explore the data and online resources or contact the User Support forum if you have a question for the Study team.
Webinar
Using admin data with Understanding Society for education research
Education and social inequalities – what are the links?
Dr Sarah Stopforth on social class inequalities in GCSE attainment.
Home schooling during Covid-19
The Understanding Society COVID-19 survey asked parents specifically about their experiences of home schooling their children during the lockdown. This briefing note explores the work provided by schools, children’s access to education resources and the time taken by children and parents for schoolwork.
ISER Working Paper
Parental responses to information on school quality: evidence from linked survey and administrative data.
Our Impact
The National Foundation for Educational Research used Understanding Society data for a report on the teaching workforce which influenced the Department for Education’s strategy for recruiting and retaining teachers.
Research using our data has found that a good Ofsted rating can have a surprisingly negative impact on students.
Find out more about the impact Understanding Society has on policy, and about how you can work with us to provide evidence for decision-makers.
