The Safe and Well at School Survey (SAWSS) is an anonymous online survey conducted by Brighton & Hove City Council Public Health Team, in partnership with the University of Sussex, across primary and secondary schools in the city. We thank schools for their active participation in this important survey.
In 2025, a total of 6653 young people aged 11 to 16 took part from 9 different secondary schools across the city (57% of all students).
4821 primary school children aged 8 to 11 years took part across 35 schools (66% of all students).
The high participation in the survey from schools provides valuable information, which we use to support communities and to help understand and meet the needs of children and young people in the city.
The survey data is used by schools, the Public Health Schools Programme Team and the Families, Children and Wellbeing directorate in Brighton & Hove City Council, working together to further improve practice.
This is just one data source, and other data and qualitative information from children, young people and families are used alongside this to develop a fuller understanding.
This briefing gives a high-level summary of key findings from the 2025 survey, with trends where available.
After a rise in bullying in 2023, levels have seen a small decrease in KS3 (18%) and KS4 (13%) this year. Bullying continues to increase, however, in 8 to 11-year-olds, with 21% of students saying they had been bullied in the last term. This is the highest level of bullying in this age group since 2011.
In both secondary and primary schools, students who said they had been bullied in the last term were less likely to agree that their school was good at dealing with bullying.
Some groups of secondary school students are significantly more likely to say they have been bullied, including:
Of primary school students aged 8 to 11 years, over a third (35%) meet the recommendation to get at least 1 hour of physical activity every day. This falls to 26% of 11- to 14-year-olds and to 21% of 14- to 16-year-olds.
Secondary school students are less likely to actively travel to school (including walking, cycling, and by skateboard/scooter).
Certain groups of students are less likely to meet physical activity recommendations, including:
Of primary school students aged 8 to 11 years, 69% meet the recommendation for eating 5 or more portions of fruit and vegetables per day (a small fruit juice is also included, contributing a maximum of 1 portion per day). 67% of 11 to 14-year-olds, and 58% of 14 to 16-year-olds meet the recommendation.
Most students said they had eaten breakfast that morning, either at home or at school, with 92% of 8 to 11-year-olds saying yes. This decreases to 75% of 11 to 14-year-olds and 67% of 14 to 16-year-olds. Most students brush their teeth twice a day (KS4: 88%, KS3: 87%, KS2: 85%).
Groups less likely to have had breakfast include:
Levels of happiness are high and roughly similar across all age groups (KS2: 88%, KS3: 89%, KS4: 88%). Older students are more likely to agree they felt sad in the last few weeks (KS2: 48%, KS3: 53%, KS4: 59%).
More than half of secondary school students often or sometimes struggle to sleep at night (53%), and 42% said they often or sometimes feel lonely.
Certain groups of secondary school students are less likely to feel happy, including:
In 2025, there has been an increase in secondary school students' enjoyment coming to school, enjoyment learning at school, feelings of safety at school, and their sense of belonging at school.
In primary school students aged 8 to 11 years old, however, there is a continual trend of decreasing feelings of belonging, safety and enjoyment at school.
Certain groups are also less likely to agree that people like them generally do well in their school, including:
At all 3 key stages, around 12 to 13% of all students said they had experienced racism in the last 12 months, regardless of ethnicity. When looking only at Black and racially minoritised secondary school students, this rises to 27% (White British: 5%).
The percentage of all students who said they had seen racism in the last 12 months in school rises with age (KS2: 34%, KS3: 56%, KS4: 66%).
Certain groups are also more likely to say they have experienced racism, including:
Most secondary school students have never smoked - only 6% of KS3, and 28% of KS4 students, and this has been decreasing over the last decade.
Furthermore, most pupils who have tried smoking have only ever tried it once. 4% of 11 to 14 year olds and 12% of 14 to 16 year olds say they have tried smoking once.
Certain groups are more likely to have tried smoking, including:
Just under half of 14 to 16-year-olds have tried vaping (45%), and this is lower in 11 to 14-year-olds (16%). In both key stages, this decreased slightly from 47% and 22% in 2023, respectively.
KS4 students are more likely to regularly vape (12%) compared with KS3 students (2%).
The following groups of students are more likely to have tried vaping:
The majority (62%) of 14 to 16-year-olds and the minority (24%) of 11 to 14-year-olds have tried alcohol. These numbers have been decreasing slowly since 2012.
Most secondary school students (79%) say they never get drunk, and only 11% say they get drunk a few times a year.
Certain groups of secondary school students are more likely to have tried alcohol, including:
Almost all 11 to 14-year-olds (97%) and the majority of 14 to 16-year-olds (78%) have never tried drugs. This proportion has remained relatively stable since the question was first asked.
The most commonly tried drug was cannabis - 2% of 11 to 14 year olds and 20% of 14 to 16 year olds say they have tried cannabis. A small percentage of students had tried drugs other than cannabis (1% of 11 to 14 year olds and 7% of 14 to 16 year olds).
The following groups of students are more likely to say they have tried drugs:
As part of the additional question set this year, secondary school students were asked further questions about smoking, vaping, drinking, and taking drugs.
The most common place that secondary school students had bought cigarettes (59%) and vapes (61%) in the last week was in a shop, followed by a friend (35% and 28%).
Most students who said they had tried drugs said they took them with friends (83%). For drinking, 57% said they drank with friends, and 45% said they drank with a parent/carer.
The majority of 14 to 16-year-olds in the city have not had sex (88%). This has been slowly rising in recent years since 2012 (80%).
Certain groups are more likely to say they've had sex, including:
Knowledge of both where to get tested for chlamydia (17%) and confidence using a condom (65%) has been decreasing since 2018 amongst 14 to 16-year-olds.
55% of secondary school students said they had ever been in a relationship, and 38% of these students said they had experienced one of the following behaviours: being yelled at, being put down and/or humiliated, being hit, kicked, pushed or slapped, and being constantly checked up on.
The majority of secondary school students say they have a smartphone (KS3: 94%, KS4: 99%), and use social media (KS3: 86%, KS4: 97%), whereas just 36% and 34% of students aged 8 to 11 said so, respectively. At all 3 key stages, most students said they play online games with other people, such as FIFA or Fortnite.
When asked how going online/using social media made secondary students feel about different aspects of their lives, "mostly better" was the most common choice for friendships (45%), schoolwork (54%), and organising social activities (40%).
Certain groups of secondary school students are more likely to say going online/using social media makes their mental health mostly worse, including: