Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett
Academy
Introduction
This report provides an overview of students’ responses to the pilot version of the Holocaust student
survey that was completed by pupils at Royal Wotton Bassett Academy in October 2013. The aim of
the survey is to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust, examine the
predominant sources of information for students (e.g. school/lessons, films, books), and determine
how students’ knowledge and understanding is related to other salient variables like their attitudes
towards ‘out groups’ and their beliefs in a just world.
Demographics
In total, 214 students from RWBA completed a pilot version of the survey in October 2013. Of these
students, 108 students were girls, and 106 were boys. The majority of students (n = 190) were born
in England.
The ages of students were as follows:
-
11 years old: 23 students
12 years old: 47 students
13 years old: 107 students
14 years old: 17 students
15 years old: 10 students
16 years old: 1 student
17 years old: 7 students
Students’ reports of their families belonging to a particular religious group were as follows:
-
No religion: 127 students
Christian: 64 students
Buddhist: 3 students
Hindu: 2 students
Muslim: 5 students
Sikh: 1 student
Students were asked how important religion was to them personally. 50 students said that religion
was either somewhat or very important to them. 58 students said that religion was a little important
and 99 students said that religion was not important to them.
The ethnic composition of the sample is as follows:
-
White - British, English, Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish : 178 students
White - Irish: 3 students
White Gypsy or Irish traveller: 2 students
White – any other: 2 students
Asian – Indian: 4 students
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Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
-
Asian – Bangladeshi: 2 students
Asian – any other: 4 students
Mixed or multiple – White and Black Caribbean: 2 students
Mixed or multiple – White and Black African: 3 students
Mixed or multiple – White and Asian: 4 students
Mixed or multiple – any other: 1 students
Any other – Arab: 1 student
Any other: 8 students
Responses to the question asking students how many books they have in the home are shown in
Table 1:
Table 1
Responses to the question: “about how many books are there in your home?”
Number of Books
None (0 books)
Very few (1 – 10 books)
Enough to fill one shelf (11 – 50 books)
Enough to fill one bookcase (51 – 100 books)
Enough to fill two bookcases (101 – 200 books)
Enough to fill three of more bookcases (more than 200
books)
Don’t know
Frequency
7
16
29
39
37
70
Percentage
3.3
7.5
13.6
18.2
17.3
32.7
16
7.5
Finally, students were asked if they intend to go to university after they have finished school. 39.7%
of the students said they definitely intended to go, one quarter of students said they would probably
go to university and 23.4% said they were not sure. 10.3% of students said they were unlikely to go
to university.
Just world beliefs
The Beliefs in a Just World – Others Scale, consisting of seven items, was used in the survey. The
mean and standard deviation for each item are given in Table 2. For each statement, the participants
were asked to indicate the extent they (dis)agreed with it using a 4-point likert scale where 1 =
strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = agree and 4 = strongly agree. Therefore, a higher score
represents greater agreement with the item. A total score for each person was also calculated. The
maximum that can be scored on this scale is 28 (i.e. strongly agreeing with all seven statements). The
total scores for the present sample ranged from 7 to 25, and the mean total score was 17.32
(standard deviation was 3.18). This suggests that overall, a number of the students are slightly more
inclined to think that the world is a just place.
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Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Table 2
The mean and standard deviation of each item of the Beliefs in a Just World-Others Scale
Item
I feel that people’s efforts are noticed and rewarded
I feel that people earn the rewards and the punishments they get
I feel that people get what they are entitled to in life
I feel that people get what they deserve
I feel that people are treated with the respect that they deserve
I feel that people are treated fairly in life
I feel that the world treats people fairly
Mean (SD)
2.79 (.66)
2.75 (.73)
2.60 (.69)
2.50 (.78)
2.46 (.77)
2.14 (.72)
2.11 (.76)
Cultural Xenophobia
To measure cultural xenophobia a scale devised by Elchardus and Spruyt (in press) was used. The
scale was originally used with university students, and showed a high level of internal reliability (α =
.86). Scale items were modified slightly, to make the items suitable for adolescents to complete.
Students were asked to indicate the extent that they (dis)agreed with each item where 1 = strongly
agree, 2 = disagree, 3 = agree, and 4 = strongly. The percentage of students giving each response, the
mean and standard deviation for each item are given in Table 3.
Table 3
The response percentage, mean and standard deviation of each item of the Cultural Xenophobia
Scale
Item
We can learn a lot from people
from other cultures
It is good if our society is made
up of people from different
cultures
It is important that young people
come into contact with other
cultures
It is better for a country when
everybody shares the same
traditions (-)
The presence of people from
other cultures is bound to
weaken our own culture (-)
People from other cultures are a
threat to our own culture and
way of life (-)
Strongly
disagree %
2.3
Disagree
%
8.4
Agree %
Mean (SD)
49.1
Strongly
agree %
37.9
2.8
7.9
54.2
32.7
3.20 (.70)
2.8
14.0
53.3
27.6
3.08 (.73)
22.4
49.1
19.2
5.6
2.08 (.81)
25.2
47.7
17.3
4.2
2.00 (.80)
29.0
46.7
15.0
4.7
1.95 (.81)
3.25 (.71)
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Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
The negatively worded items were recoded, and a total score was calculated for each student, where
a higher score indicated they were more accepting of different cultures (i.e. had lower cultural
xenophobia). The total score that can be obtained on this measure is 24. The range of students’
scores for this scale was from 8 to 24, the mean total score was 18.49, and the standard deviation
was 3.23. This indicates that overall, students show low levels of cultural xenophobia.
Blatant Racism
To measure blatant racism, another scale devised by Elchardus and Spruyt (in press) was used.
Again, it was originally completed by university students (α = .81). Consequently, as with the cultural
xenophobia scale, the items were modified slightly for adolescents. Students were asked to indicate
the extent that they (dis)agreed with each item where 1 = strongly agree, 2 = disagree, 3 = agree,
and 4 = strongly. The mean and standard deviation for each item is given in Table 4.
Table 4
The response percentage, mean and standard deviation of each item of the Blatant Racism Scale
Item
Having friends with a different colour skin
is no issue for me
Skin colour says nothing about people
Not all races are equally intelligent (-)
People should always have children with a
person from the same ‘race’ as them (-)
People should always marry people from
their own ‘race’ (-)
Strongly
disagree %
2.8
Disagree
%
2.3
Agree %
Mean (SD)
16.4
Strongly
agree %
74.3
1.4
32.7
56.1
4.7
30.4
32.7
20.6
20.6
5.6
69.6
10.7
1.9
3.65 (.64)
2.10 (1.0)
1.48 (.70)
58.9
30.8
4.2
2.3
1.51 (.70)
3.69 (.66)
The negatively worded items were recoded and a total score was calculated for each student. The
highest score that could be obtained on this scale was 20 showing low levels of blatant racism. Thus,
the lower a student’s total score the more they exhibited blatant racism in their responses. The
mean of students’ total scores was 17.23, suggesting that many of them had very low levels of
racism (SD = 2.52).
Thinking about School
This scale was designed by the research team at CfHE, but was informed by several pre-existing
questionnaires. The aim of this scale was to measure young people’s perceptions of the purposes of
school. Students were given a list of statements and asked to indicate the extent that they
(dis)agreed with each statement, where 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = agree, and 4 =
strongly agree. The descriptive data are presented in Table 5, and show that in the main, students
are agreeing with all the statements, suggesting that they think school serves multiple purposes, and
each of these purposes is perceived to be important.
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Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Table 5
The response percentage, mean and standard deviation of each item of the Thinking about School
Scale
A very important thing that schools
should do is ......
help young people to get qualifications
(like GCSEs)
help young people to get a job they
find interesting and enjoyable
encourage young people to make up
their own minds about things
teach young people how to value and
respect people from different cultures
teach young people about what is
morally right and wrong
encourage young people to consider
different sides of an argument / issue
inspire young people to become
interested and curious about different
issues
prepare young people for jobs that will
give them money for the best of
everything
teach young people to help those who
are less fortunate than themselves
help young people to think clearly
(critically) about information they see
on TV or read in newspapers/books/
websites
encourage young people to discuss
openly with their teachers about
political and social issues during class,
even when they have differences of
opinion.
prepare young people for jobs that will
benefit others
teach young people to do as they are
told
teach young people traditional British
values
Strongly
disagree
%
.5
Disagree
%
Agree %
Mean
(SD)
35.5
Strongly
disagree
%
60.7
.9
1.4
2.3
43.5
50.0
3.46 (.62)
1.4
1.9
55.6
37.9
3.34 (.59)
3.3
6.5
43.9
42.5
3.31 (.75)
1.4
7.5
51.4
36.9
3.27 (.66)
.9
7.9
59.3
28.0
3.19 (.62)
.5
11.2
61.2
22.4
3.11 (.60)
2.8
16.8
45.8
31.3
3.09 (.78)
1.4
10.7
64.0
20.6
3.07 (.62)
.9
13.1
61.7
21.0
3.06 (.62)
4.7
16.4
48.1
27.6
3.02 (.81)
.5
18.2
59.3
17.8
2.99 (.63)
3.7
30.4
48.6
13.6
2.75 (.74)
8.4
37.4
42.5
7.0
2.50 (.76)
3.60 (.54)
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Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust
Students were asked a series of questions to assess their knowledge and understanding of the
Holocaust, and this section outlines students’ responses by age group. It is also worth noting that
total scores were calculated for each student. The maximum score that students could obtain was
13, indicating they had correctly answered all the knowledge based questions. In the RWBA sample,
the highest score achieved was 9.90. The mean score was 3.81 with a standard deviation of 1.66. It is
notable that the mean scores of boys and girls differed significantly. Boys had a mean score of 4.27,
and girls had a mean score of 3.53. This difference was statistically significantly different when an
unrelated t-test was conducted. This suggests that boys have greater knowledge and understanding
of the Holocaust compared to the girls.
Recognition and understanding of key terms
Before answering questions about the Holocaust, students were first asked to indicate if they
recognised (and if so, could define) a series of words.
Table 6
RACISM
11 years1
12 years
13 years
14 years
15 years
16-17 years
Do you recognise this word (%)
No
Yes
8.7
82.6
2.1
89.4
.9
97.2
0
88.2
10
80.0
0
100
Of those that recognise it %
that correctly define it
82.4
90.7
90.1
86.7
85.7
100
Do you recognise this word (%)
No
Yes
73.9
13
70.2
10.6
64.5
30.8
88.2
5.9
70.0
20.0
12.5
87.2
Of those that recognise it %
that correctly define it
33.3
25.0
64.7
100.0
100.0
100.0
Table 7
Antisemitism
11 years
12 years
13 years
14 years
15 years
16-17 years
1
Some of the age groups had very low numbers of students. Thus, percentages should be viewed with caution,
e.g. 10% in one age group may only represent one student, whereas 10% in another age group may represent
four students. Please refer to the numbers of students in each age group (on page 1 of this report) to get a
sense of the number of students each % refers to. This point is relevant throughout the report when
percentages are quoted.
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Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Table 8
Islamophobia
11 years
12 years
13 years
14 years
15 years
16-17 years
Do you recognise this word (%)
No
Yes
56.5
21.7
40.4
46.8
39.3
56.1
64.7
23.5
70.0
20.0
0
100.0
Of those that recognise it %
that correctly define it
50.0
81.8
86.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
Do you recognise this word (%)
No
Yes
43.5
52.2
12.8
72.3
8.4
88.8
23.5
64.7
30.0
60.0
0
100.0
Of those that recognise it %
that correctly define it
83.3
82.4
90.5
100.0
100.0
100.0
Do you recognise this word (%)
No
Yes
65.2
21.7
42.6
46.8
27.1
67.3
29.4
58.8
50.0
40.0
0
100.0
Of those that recognise it %
that correctly define it
20.0
40.9
83.3
80.0
50.0
100.0
Table 9
Homophobia
11 years
12 years
13 years
14 years
15 years
16-17 years
Table 10
Genocide
11 years
12 years
13 years
14 years
15 years
16-17 years
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Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Recognition of events / people / place
Table 11
Percentage of students who said that each event / person / place was related (or not related) to the
Holocaust
Events / People / Place
Adolf Hitler
Anne Frank
Auschwitz
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Adolf Eichmann
The Nuremberg Laws
The SS
Oscar Schindler
Rosa Luxembourg
The Nuremberg Trials
Kristallnacht
The Einsatzgruppen
Franz Ferdinand
The Suffragettes
Operation Reinhard
The Russian Revolution
The Battle of the Somme
The Long March
Bergen-Belsen
The Iran-Iraq War
Siegfried Sassoon
The Treaty of Maastricht
Treblinka
Hiroshima
Slobodan Milosevic
Wannsee Conference
The CIA
The Tet Offensive
Lenin
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Primo Levi
‘Yes’ connected to Holocaust %
Age 11
Age 12
Age 13
Age 14
Age 15
88.9
70.6
46.7
14.3
33.3
26.1
26.7
28.6
21.7
7.1
14.3
35.7
33.3
20.0
6.7
38.5
14.3
20.0
28.6
26.7
21.4
21.4
15.4
0
7.7
7.1
7.7
30.8
21.4
7.7
0
88.9
83.3
83.3
50.0
42.9
71.4
57.1
50.0
42.9
28.6
28.6
50.0
16.7
33.3
33.3
16.7
33.3
16.7
50.0
28.6
16.7
33.3
60.0
0
16.7
33.3
14.3
0
20.0
16.7
50.0
83.7
79.1
47.5
35.1
38.1
31.0
26.3
30.6
50.0
38.5
32.5
34.3
42.5
50.0
37.8
40.0
41.0
41.0
32.4
23.8
26.3
21.1
36.8
20.0
27.8
23.7
29.3
22.5
37.5
18.4
17.1
95.8
91.8
74.7
58.9
45.8
46.3
45.3
57.4
38.9
52.7
46.2
50.5
38.5
30.1
40.2
26.9
31.9
36.6
29.7
20.6
28.7
28.3
22.2
25.8
22.8
25.5
16.5
16.1
17.0
21.3
17.6
100.0
75.0
75.0
62.5
33.3
40.0
37.5
62.5
33.3
33.3
53.3
40.0
37.5
40.0
33.3
18.8
33.3
25.0
46.7
31.3
26.7
40.0
53.3
26.7
26.7
20.0
25.0
12.5
18.8
26.7
20.0
Age
16/17
100.0
100.0
100.0
71.4
71.4
85.7
85.7
85.7
57.1
85.7
85.7
57.1
14.3
14.3
71.4
28.6
12.5
57.1
42.9
14.3
28.6
14.3
42.9
14.3
14.3
42.9
0
0
14.3
0
42.9
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Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Recognition of Images
The Gates for the Auschwitz concentration camp:






Age 11 years: 26.1%
Age 12 years: 44.7%
Age 13 years: 57.0%
Age 14 years: 58.8%
Age 15 years: 90%
Age 16/17 years: 85.7%
Anne Frank:






Age 11 years: 60.9%
Age 12 years: 85.1%
Age 13 years: 83.2%
Age 14 years: 70.6%
Age 15 years: 70%
Age 16/17 years: 100%
Image from Boy in the Striped Pyjamas:






Age 11 years: 60.9%
Age 12 years: 61.7%
Age 13 years: 83.2%
Age 14 years: 64.7%
Age 15 years: 80%
Age 16/17 years: 100%
Adolf Hitler:






Age 11 years: 82.6%
Age 12 years: 97.9%
Age 13 years: 94.4%
Age 14 years: 94.1%
Age 15 years: 100%
Age 16/17 years: 100%
Identification number:






Age 11 years: 43.5%
Age 12 years: 42.6%
Age 13 years: 65.4%
Age 14 years: 70.6%
Age 15 years: 90%
Age 16/17 years: 85.7%
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Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Shoes:






Age 11 years: 17.4%
Age 12 years: 25.5%
Age 13 years: 61.7%
Age 14 years: 58.8%
Age 15 years: 70%
Age 16/17 years: 100%
Kindertransport Statue:






Age 11 years: 17.4%
Age 12 years: 27.7%
Age 13 years: 26.2%
Age 14 years: 29.4%
Age 15 years: 30%
Age 16/17 years: 100%
Image from Schindler’s List:






Age 11 years: 21.7%
Age 12 years: 21.3%
Age 13 years: 29.0%
Age 14 years: 11.8%
Age 15 years: 30%
Age 16/17 years: 28.6%
Memorial:






Age 11 years: 13.0%
Age 12 years: 10.6%
Age 13 years: 21.5%
Age 14 years: 0%
Age 15 years: 10%
Age 16/17 years: 14.3%
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Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Multiple choice questions
When did the Holocaust happen?
Table 12
Frequency of responses for the question: when did the Holocaust happen?
Aged 11
years
In the 1900s
In the 1920s
In the 1940s
In the 1960s
In the 1980s
2
3
11
3
1
20
Aged 12
years
5
6
32
3
46
Aged 13
years
11
24
56
8
5
104
Aged 14
years
2
5
6
1
1
15
Aged 15
years
1
4
4
9
Aged
16/17
years
7
7
Total
21
42
116
15
7
204
Total
In 1933, what percentage of the German population was Jewish?
Table 13
Frequency of responses for the question: In 1933, what percentage of the German population was
Jewish?
Aged 11
years
Aged 12
years
Aged 13
years
Aged 14
years
Aged 15
years
Aged
16/17
years
Less than 1%
1
3
4
2
-
1
Total
11
Approximately
5%
Approximately
15%
More than
30%
4
11
16
4
2
2
39
7
17
41
4
2
2
73
7
15
42
3
2
2
71
19
46
103
13
6
7
194
Total
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Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Approximately how many Jews in all of Europe were killed during the Holocaust?
Table 14
Frequency of responses for the question: Approximately how many Jews in all of Europe were killed
during the Holocaust?
Aged 11
years
25,000
100,000
1 million
2 million
6 million
20 million
1
5
4
3
4
2
19
Aged 12
years
2
6
16
9
9
4
46
Aged 13
years
10
14
18
45
17
104
Aged 14
years
1
2
1
2
6
1
13
Aged 15
years
6
2
8
Aged
16/17
years
1
6
7
Total
4
23
35
33
76
26
197
Total
Of all the Jews who lived in Europe before WWII, approximately what percentage was murdered?
Table 15
Frequency of responses for the question: Of all the Jews who lived in Europe before WWII,
approximately what percentage was murdered?
Aged 11
years
Less than 25%
About 33%
About 50%
About 66%
More than
75%
100%
Aged 12
years
Aged 13
years
Aged 14
years
Aged 15
years
Aged
16/17
years
2
6
3
2
6
7
6
5
14
10
5
19
17
27
34
2
1
2
3
5
1
2
2
1
2
2
2
Total
16
33
30
50
59
19
2
44
1
103
13
1
6
7
4
192
Total
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Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Which country did the largest number of Jewish people murdered during the Holocaust come from?
Table 16
Frequency of responses for the question: Which country did the largest number of Jewish people
murdered during the Holocaust come from?
Aged 11
years
Germany
France
Poland
Hungary
The Soviet
Union
The USA
Israel
Aged 12
years
Aged 13
years
Aged 14
years
Aged 15
years
Aged
16/17
years
11
4
1
23
10
1
3
54
2
34
3
5
10
2
-
2
4
1
1
3
4
-
Total
103
6
54
5
10
3
19
1
6
44
6
104
1
13
8
7
1
16
195
Total
In which country did the largest number of killings of Jewish people actually take place?
Table 17
Frequency of responses for the question: In which country did the largest number of killings of Jewish
people actually take place?
Aged 11
years
Germany
France
Poland
Hungary
The Soviet
Union
The USA
Israel
Aged 12
years
Aged 13
years
Aged 14
years
Aged 15
years
Aged
16/17
years
10
4
-
23
4
4
3
2
71
4
17
3
4
11
2
-
2
5
-
1
6
-
Total
118
8
38
6
6
4
18
2
6
44
1
3
103
13
7
7
3
13
192
Total
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Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
The Nazis persecuted (or unfairly treated) a number of different groups of people, including those
listed below. Which group – or groups – do you think each of the following statements applies to?
Table 18
The Nazis planned to kill every last person from this group
Aged 11
years
Disabled
people
Homosexuals
Jews
Roma and Sinti
(Gypsies)
Aged 12
years
Aged 13
years
Aged 14
years
Aged 15
years
Aged
16/17
years
1
1
2
-
2
1
Total
7
18
-
1
41
1
12
86
4
14
-
1
5
-
6
-
14
170
5
19
44
104
14
8
7
196
Aged 15
years
Aged
16/17
years
Total
Table 19
They were the first victims of the Nazis’ mass murder programmes
Aged 11
years
Disabled
people
Jews
Jehovah’s
Witnesses
Roma and Sinti
(Gypsies)
Aged 12
years
Aged 13
years
Aged 14
years
1
4
7
3
2
3
Total
20
13
3
32
3
73
10
8
2
6
-
3
-
135
18
2
3
10
1
-
1
17
19
42
100
14
8
7
190
Total
14
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Table 20
They could avoid Nazi persecution if they gave up their beliefs
Aged 11
years
Jews
Jehovah’s
Witnesses
Roma and Sinti
(Gypsies)
Poles
Aged 12
years
Aged 13
years
Aged 14
years
Aged 15
years
Aged
16/17
years
12
3
26
11
52
34
5
6
2
4
2
5
Total
99
63
1
3
7
2
1
-
14
3
19
3
43
9
102
13
1
8
7
16
192
Total
Table 21
They were blamed by Hitler for Germany’s defeat in the first World War
Aged 11
years
Poles
Jehovah’s
Witnesses
Jews
Roma and Sinti
(Gypsies)
Aged 12
years
Aged 13
years
Aged 14
years
Aged 15
years
Aged
16/17
years
2
1
7
5
21
10
2
2
1
2
1
-
Total
34
20
12
4
23
6
60
8
9
-
4
-
6
-
114
18
19
41
99
13
7
7
186
Total
15
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Why were Jewish people moved to ghettos?
Table 22
Frequency of responses for the question: Beginning in October 1939, large numbers of Jewish people
were forcibly moved into particular areas of towns, villages and cities called ‘ghettos’. These were
often closed off from other areas and were dirty and overcrowded with little access to food. Why do
you think Jewish people were moved there?2
Aged 11
years
As a way of
storing them
before they
could be taken
to the death
camps to be
gassed
Because the
Nazis were not
sure what else
to do with
them
To make sure
that Jewish
and nonJewish people
were kept
apart
To use them as
slave labour
Other
Aged 12
years
Aged 13
years
Aged 14
years
Aged 15
years
Aged
16/17
years
10
24
50
5
5
3
Total
97
1
3
4
2
1
-
11
1
7
33
4
-
4
49
3
4
13
-
-
-
20
1
4
-
1
-
-
6
16
42
100
12
6
7
183
Total
2
This question was not included in the ‘total knowledge score’ because it could be argued that all are
applicable.
16
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
The organised mass killing of Jews began immediately after a particular historical event. What was
it?
Table 23
Frequency of responses for the question: The organised mass killing of Jews began immediately after
a particular historical event. What was it?
Aged 11
years
The start of
the First World
War
Hitler’s
election as
leader of
Germany
The start of
the Second
World War
The German
Invasion of the
Soviet Union
The building of
gas chambers
at AuschwitzBirkenau
Aged 12
years
Aged 13
years
Aged 14
years
Aged 15
years
Aged
16/17
years
1
6
11
1
2
-
Total
21
8
22
45
4
2
-
81
7
12
25
3
1
2
50
-
4
5
3
2
4
18
-
1
13
1
-
1
16
16
45
99
12
7
7
186
Total
17
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
If a member of the military police refused an instruction to kill Jewish people, what do you think
would be most likely to happen to them?
Table 24
Frequency of responses for the question: If a member of the military police refused an instruction to
kill Jewish people, what do you think would be most likely to happen to them?
Aged 11
years
They would be
shot for
refusing to
obey an order
They would be
sent to a
concentration
camp
They would be
given another
duty instead
They would be
sent to the
Eastern Front
Aged 12
years
Aged 13
years
Aged 14
years
Aged 15
years
Aged
16/17
years
12
25
73
9
5
5
Total
129
4
15
14
3
-
-
36
-
3
4
-
1
1
9
-
-
6
-
-
1
7
16
43
97
12
6
7
181
Total
18
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
What happened when the British government heard about the mass murder of Jews?
Table 25
Frequency of responses for the question: What happened when the British government heard about
the mass murder of Jews?3
Aged 11
years
Aged 12
years
Aged 13
years
Aged 14
years
Aged 15
years
Aged
16/17
years
Declare war on
Germany
10
26
37
7
-
-
Total
80
Think up
rescue plans
and try to do
everything to
save the
Jewish people
Say that they
would punish
the killers
when the war
was over
Bomb
AuschwitzBirkenau to
destroy the gas
chambers
Attack Jews
living in Britain
4
8
21
1
2
-
36
-
-
6
-
2
3
11
1
3
6
1
-
-
11
-
-
1
-
-
-
1
Ignore it
-
3
4
1
1
3
12
None of the
above: they
didn’t know
anything about
it until the end
of the War
1
1
23
2
1
1
29
16
41
98
12
6
7
180
Total
3
The scores from this question were not included in the total score, as this issue is open to debate, although
the shaded answer is deemed to be most applicable, and indeed the first option ‘declare war on Germany’ is
definitely incorrect.
19
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Learning about the Holocaust
Students were asked a series of questions to find out if and where they had learned about the
Holocaust. The results for these questions are outlined in this section.
Do you think all children should learn about the Holocaust?
Percentage that said “yes”:






11 year olds: 55.6%
12 year olds: 69.6%
13 year olds: 81.2%
14 year olds: 76.9%
15 year olds: 50%
16/17 year olds: 85.7%
Have you ever learned about the Holocaust in school?
Table 26
Frequency of responses for the question: Have you ever learned about the Holocaust in school?
11 year olds
12 year olds
13 year olds
14 year olds
15 year olds
16/17 year
olds
Yes definitely
Yes I think so
Maybe
3
5
63
9
6
7
5
4
19
4
-
2
4
6
1
-
I don’t think
so
2
12
9
-
Definitely not
5
18
3
-
Can you remember in which subject you first learned about the Holocaust in school?

English
o
o
o
o
o
o
11 year olds: 0 students
12 year olds: 0 students
13 year olds: 4 students
14 year olds: 1 student
15 year olds: 0 students
16/17 year olds: 0 students
20
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy

Citizenship
o 11 year olds: 0 students
o 12 year olds: 0 students
o 13 year olds: 1 student
o 14 year olds: 0 students
o 15 year olds: 0 students
o 16/17 year olds: 1 student

Drama
o 0 students across all age groups

History
o
o
o
o
o
o
11 year olds: 1 student
12 year olds: 2 students
13 year olds: 18 students
14 year olds: 5 students
15 year olds: 3 students
16/17 year olds: 1 student
PSHE
o
o
o
o
o
o
11 year olds: 0 students
12 year olds: 0 students
13 year olds: 3 students
14 year olds: 0 students
15 year olds: 1 student
16/17 year olds: 1 student


Religious education
o 11 year olds: 3 students
o 12 year olds: 12 students
o 13 year olds: 50 students
o 14 year olds: 6 student
o 15 year olds: 3 students
o 16/17 year olds: 4 students

School Assembly
o 11 year olds: 0 students
o 12 year olds: 0 students
o 13 year olds: 4 students
o 14 year olds: 0 students
o 15 year olds: 0 students
o 16/17 year olds: 0 students
21
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Have you heard about the Holocaust outside of school?
Table 27
Frequency of responses for the question: Have you heard about the Holocaust outside of school?
11 year olds
12 year olds
13 year olds
14 year olds
15 year olds
16/17 year
olds
Total
Yes definitely
Yes I think so
Maybe
Definitely not
1
11
11
3
1
1
I don’t think
so
3
8
15
-
5
16
45
6
4
6
7
5
22
3
2
-
82
39
28
26
12
1
4
5
1
1
-
Have you read any books about the Holocaust?
Table 28
Frequency of responses for the question: Have you read any books about the Holocaust?
11 year olds
12 year olds
13 year olds
14 year olds
15 year olds
16/17 year
olds
Total
Yes
9
16
39
4
3
3
No
7
19
57
8
4
7
Don’t know
2
9
3
1
2
-
74
102
17
Please tick the books you have read
Frequency of those who said “yes” they have read each book:

Boy in the striped pyjamas
o 11 year olds: 5 students
o 12 year olds: 14 students
o 13 year olds: 33 students
o 14 year olds: 3 students
o 15 year olds: 2 students
o 16/17 year olds: 1 student
22
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy

Hana’s suitcase
o 11 year olds: 0 students
o 12 year olds: 3 students
o 13 year olds: 2 students
o 14 year olds: 0 students
o 15 year olds: 2 students
o 16/17 year olds: 2 students

The diary of Anne Frank
o 11 year olds: 6 students
o 12 year olds: 18 students
o 13 year olds: 25 students
o 14 year olds: 3 students
o 15 year olds: 3 students
o 16/17 year olds: 2 students

School textbooks
o 11 year olds: 1 student
o 12 year olds: 9 students
o 13 year olds: 21 students
o 14 year olds: 2 students
o 15 year olds: 2 students
o 16/17 year olds: 2 students
Have you seen any films or television programmes about the Holocaust?
Table 29
Frequency of responses for the question: Have you seen any films or television about the Holocaust?
11 year olds
12 year olds
13 year olds
14 year olds
15 year olds
16/17 year
olds
Total
Yes
9
21
71
8
7
7
No
7
12
23
3
1
-
Don’t know
2
9
7
2
1
-
123
46
21
23
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Please tick the films/television you have watched
Frequency of those who said “yes” for each one:

Boy in the striped pyjamas
o 11 year olds: 6 students
o 12 year olds: 15 students
o 13 year olds: 58 students
o 14 year olds: 4 students
o 15 year olds: 6 students
o 16/17 year olds: 4 students

Schindler’s List
o 11 year olds: 2 students
o 12 year olds: 3 students
o 13 year olds: 24 students
o 14 year olds: 3 students
o 15 year olds: 3 students
o 16/17 year olds: 3 students

The Pianist
o 11 year olds: 2 students
o 12 year olds: 4 students
o 13 year olds: 5 students
o 14 year olds: 0 students
o 15 year olds: 1 student
o 16/17 year olds: 2 students

Defiance
o 11 year olds: 0 students
o 12 year olds: 1 student
o 13 year olds: 1 student
o 14 year olds: 0 students
o 15 year olds: 0 students
o 16/17 year olds: 2 students

A TV Documentary
o 11 year olds: 4 students
o 12 year olds: 20 students
o 13 year olds: 46 students
o 14 year olds: 9 students
o 15 year olds: 4 students
o 16/17 year olds: 5 students
24
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Have you heard a survivor talk about their experience of the Holocaust?
Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 3 students
Age 12 years: 14 students
Age 13 years: 76 students
Age 14 years: 11 students
Age 15 years: 6 students
Age 16/17 years: 5 students
What they thought...
It gave me useful information Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 2 students
Age 12 years: 11 students
Age 13 years: 65 students
Age 14 years: 9 students
Age 15 years: 6 students
Age 16/17 years: 5 students
It made me interested to find out more Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 2 students
Age 12 years: 11 students
Age 13 years: 51 students
Age 14 years: 7 students
Age 15 years: 4 students
Age 16/17 years: 5 students
I found it upsetting Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 2 students
Age 12 years: 10 students
Age 13 years: 55 students
Age 14 years: 8 students
Age 15 years: 4 students
Age 16/17 years: 3 students
I found it boring Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 0 students
Age 12 years: 3 students
Age 13 years: 11 students
Age 14 years: 6 students
Age 15 years: 1 student
Age 16/17 years: 0 students
25
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Have you visited a concentration or labour camp?
Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 2 students
Age 12 years: 6 students
Age 13 years: 7 students
Age 14 years: 13 students
Age 15 years: 1 student
Age 16/17 years: 2 students
What they thought...
It gave me useful information Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 2 students
Age 12 years: 3 students
Age 13 years: 7 students
Age 14 years: 0 students
Age 15 years: 1 student
Age 16/17 years: 2 students
It made me interested to find out more Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 1 student
Age 12 years: 4 students
Age 13 years: 6 students
Age 14 years: 0 students
Age 15 years: 1 student
Age 16/17 years: 2 students
I found it upsetting Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 2 students
Age 12 years: 4 students
Age 13 years: 5 students
Age 14 years: 0 students
Age 15 years: 1 student
Age 16/17 years: 2 students
I found it boring Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 1 student
Age 12 years: 0 students
Age 13 years: 1 student
Age 14 years: 0 students
Age 15 years: 0 students
Age 16/17 years: 0 students
26
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Have you used textbooks on the Holocaust?
Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 6 students
Age 12 years: 8 students
Age 13 years: 53 students
Age 14 years: 6 students
Age 15 years: 6 students
Age 16/17 years: 2 students
What they thought...
It gave me useful information Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 4 students
Age 12 years: 5 students
Age 13 years: 48 students
Age 14 years: 4 students
Age 15 years: 5 students
Age 16/17 years: 2 students
It made me interested to find out more Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 3 students
Age 12 years: 6 students
Age 13 years: 37 students
Age 14 years: 4 students
Age 15 years: 3 students
Age 16/17 years: 2 students
I found it upsetting Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 4 students
Age 12 years: 3 students
Age 13 years: 29 students
Age 14 years: 3 students
Age 15 years: 2 students
Age 16/17 years: 1 student
I found it boring Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 1 student
Age 12 years: 1 student
Age 13 years: 15 students
Age 14 years: 2 students
Age 15 years: 3 students
Age 16/17 years: 0 students
27
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Have you visited a museum to learn about the Holocaust?
Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 5 students
Age 12 years: 12 students
Age 13 years: 24 students
Age 14 years: 1 student
Age 15 years: 2 students
Age 16/17 years: 6 students
What they thought...
It gave me useful information Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 4 students
Age 12 years: 12 students
Age 13 years: 20 students
Age 14 years: 1 student
Age 15 years: 2 students
Age 16/17 years: 6 students
It made me interested to find out more Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 3 students
Age 12 years: 9 students
Age 13 years: 21 students
Age 14 years: 1 student
Age 15 years: 2 students
Age 16/17 years: 3 students
I found it upsetting Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 2 students
Age 12 years: 10 students
Age 13 years: 55 students
Age 14 years: 8 students
Age 15 years: 4 students
Age 16/17 years: 3 students
I found it boring Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 3 students
Age 12 years: 7 students
Age 13 years: 13 students
Age 14 years: 1 student
Age 15 years: 0 students
Age 16/17 years: 5 students
28
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Have you taken part in an event to mark Holocaust Memorial Day?
Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 0 students
Age 12 years: 7 students
Age 13 years: 13 students
Age 14 years: 3 students
Age 15 years: 2 students
Age 16/17 years: 5 students
What they thought...
It gave me useful information Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 0 students
Age 12 years: 5 students
Age 13 years: 8 students
Age 14 years: 1 student
Age 15 years: 2 students
Age 16/17 years: 4 students
It made me interested to find out more Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 0 students
Age 12 years: 5 students
Age 13 years: 8 students
Age 14 years: 1 student
Age 15 years: 2 students
Age 16/17 years: 3 students
I found it upsetting Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 0 students
Age 12 years: 4 students
Age 13 years: 11 students
Age 14 years: 0 students
Age 15 years: 1 student
Age 16/17 years: 0 students
I found it boring Frequency who responded YES:






Age 11 years: 0 students
Age 12 years: 1 student
Age 13 years: 4 students
Age 14 years: 2 students
Age 15 years: 0 students
Age 16/17 years: 1 student
29
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Attitudes towards learning about the Holocaust
Students were asked to indicate the extent they (dis)agreed with a number of statements pertaining
to learning about the Holocaust as shown in the series of Tables below.
Table 30
It is important to learn about the Holocaust so young
people understand where prejudice and racism can
lead
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
1
5
2
1
2
11
1
6
5
2
1
15
7
16
47
5
2
4
81
7
13
45
4
2
3
74
Strongly
disagree
1
4
2
2
3
1
13
Disagree
Agree
2
4
5
2
1
4
18
8
22
41
4
2
2
79
Strongly
agree
5
13
52
4
1
7
82
Strongly
disagree
1
4
3
1
2
11
Disagree
Agree
2
2
10
2
1
17
7
20
51
7
1
4
90
Table 31
It is important to learn about the Holocaust because
it was a major event in modern history
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
Table 32
Learning about the Holocaust can help us to
understand the way the world is today
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
Strongly
agree
6
11
31
2
3
1
54
30
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Table 33
It is important to learn about the Holocaust to
respect the memory of the people who were killed
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
Strongly
disagree
1
5
5
1
1
1
14
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
7
15
37
2
2
1
64
2
6
3
1
2
1
15
6
13
49
8
1
4
81
Strongly
disagree
2
3
2
1
1
9
Disagree
Agree
1
10
10
1
22
7
19
54
8
3
5
96
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
1
4
3
1
2
1
12
2
3
8
1
2
16
8
20
58
7
3
96
5
11
23
3
1
4
47
Table 34
It is important to learn about the Holocaust to stop
something like that from happening again
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
Strongly
agree
6
8
30
2
2
2
50
Table 35
It is important to learn about the Holocaust to
deepen knowledge of World War II and Twentieth
Century History
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
31
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Table 36
It is important to learn about the Holocaust so that
young people can learn about the different causes of
the Holocaust
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
2
4
5
1
1
13
2
3
8
2
1
16
8
20
56
10
2
3
99
4
10
25
1
1
3
44
Strongly
disagree
3
3
3
1
1
11
Disagree
Agree
2
5
13
4
1
1
26
6
26
55
6
3
4
100
Strongly
agree
5
5
25
1
1
2
39
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
1
3
7
1
1
13
1
6
24
4
1
2
38
7
20
47
5
3
5
87
5
8
14
2
1
30
Table 37
It is important to learn about the Holocaust because
it continues to have an effect on the world today
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
Table 38
It is important to learn about the Holocaust so that
we will be more willing to help refugees coming to
this country to escape discrimination and murder
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
32
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Table 39
It is important to learn about the Holocaust so young
people will be more likely to stand up for people
who get picked on / bullied
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
1
4
8
1
1
15
2
8
22
4
1
37
5
17
49
4
4
6
85
6
7
16
3
1
33
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
2
3
3
2
1
11
6
16
45
3
3
3
76
3
16
36
7
2
3
67
3
3
9
1
1
17
Strongly
disagree
6
14
16
3
3
2
44
Disagree
Agree
8
19
63
6
3
4
103
1
8
14
1
1
1
26
Strongly
agree
1
2
5
2
10
Table 40
More time should be spent learning about the
suffering of the Palestinians, and other oppressed
people in the world today, than the Jews in Europe a
long time ago (-)4
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
Table 41
Too much time in school is spent learning about the
Holocaust (-)
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
4
The younger students appeared to be confused by / misread the negatively worded items which may account
for some students agreeing with the negatively worded questions. Also, some students tick the ‘disagree’
boxes because they have just ticked the same box throughout, not realising that the meaning of the boxes
changes for the negatively worded items.
33
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Table 42
The Holocaust is not related to my life because it
happened in another country (-)
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
Strongly
disagree
8
16
34
4
1
2
65
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
1
3
2
2
8
7
11
44
2
2
4
70
7
13
6
1
1
28
Strongly
disagree
7
18
42
3
2
4
76
Disagree
Agree
8
9
28
5
2
52
9
21
3
2
1
36
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
6
17
42
5
4
5
79
6
10
39
6
2
63
3
5
11
1
1
21
1
3
3
7
Table 43
The Holocaust is not related to my life because it
happened so long ago (-)
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
Strongly
agree
1
2
3
1
1
8
Table 44
It is not worth learning about the Holocaust because
it has been massively exaggerated to serve Jewish
interests (-)
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
34
Holocaust Student Survey: Results for Royal Wotton Bassett Academy
Table 45
It is not worth learning about the Holocaust because
it didn’t really happen (-)
Aged 11 years
Aged 12 years
Aged 13 years
Aged 14 years
Aged 15 years
Aged 16/17 years
Total
Strongly
disagree
10
24
64
6
2
6
106
Disagree
Agree
4
9
22
5
2
1
43
1
5
8
1
1
16
Strongly
agree
1
1
1
1
4
Conclusion
The results of this survey showed that overall, students at RWBA are accepting of ‘other’ groups, as
shown by low levels of blatant racism and cultural xenophobia. Students’ knowledge and
understanding of the Holocaust tends to increase with age, with boys having greater knowledge
compared to girls. The main research study will conduct a number of complex statistical analyses to
determine if there are relationships between students’ Holocaust knowledge and their attitudes
towards ‘out groups.’ RWBA will be kept informed of these research findings as they become
available.
The IOE’s Centre for Holocaust Education would also like to highlight the exemplary behaviour of the
students at RWBA during data collection for this survey. The students were extremely polite, and
very engaged with the research – asking the researcher questions and providing invaluable feedback
on the survey. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff and students at RWBA for
taking part in this research and making the researcher feel so welcome during her visit to the school.
35