The article outlines preparation, instructions, delivery, and support for administering the anonymous SEW student survey. Preparation includes checking technical requirements, scheduling, and assigning tests. The survey takes 20-30 minutes. Delivery involves time management, automatic saving, and technical accommodations. New browser-based security features prevent exiting full-screen mode, enhancing test focus and integrity.
ACER will be trialling new Social-Emotional Wellbeing (SEW) survey statements throughout terms 3 and 4, 2026. Read more.
The following topics are covered here:
Related article: Completing the SEW Early Years teacher perception survey
Preparation
The following steps need to be completed ahead of time:
- Check the technical requirements and run the browser exam from a student device to identify any potential technical issues.
- Schedule your testing date and time. It is best to administer tests in the morning and not immediately before or after an exciting school event.
- Ensure that all students are listed within your school's online assessment account and have been assigned the necessary tests.
- Review and assign appropriate test levels to all students according to their ability.
- Download or print a list of your students' login details.
- Make note of your school's online assessment login page, or make sure that the URL is saved on student devices, or available to your students as a link. The address will be similar to https://oars.acer.edu.au/your-school-name.
Instructions
The survey should take primary students approximately 20 minutes to complete and secondary students 30 minutes. Students must record an answer for every question to move through the survey.
Explain to students that this is an anonymous survey; their names will not be recorded against their answers in the reports. By answering the questions, they will be assisting you in understanding what things are important to them.
Each question in the survey asks students whether they agree or disagree with a statement. Students should answer the questions as honestly as possible. There are no right or wrong answers.
If they are unsure how to answer a question, they should select the response they feel most comfortable
with and move onto the next question. They can go back and change their answers if necessary.
Delivery
- Students will not be automatically locked out after the allowed time passes. You must monitor and manage the time, including accommodating toilet breaks or other interruptions that may occur.
- Student responses are automatically saved each time they navigate to another item (question).
- If technical problems cause the need to postpone, students may close the browser without losing their progress.
- iPads and tablet devices must be held in landscape orientation.
Although PAT is low-pressure and low-stakes, the following new security features have been designed to support you by restricting undesirable actions during test-taking.
- No installation required – the features run directly in the browser across Windows, Mac, iPad and Chromebook.