34 health questions for students in grades 6 to 12
A health questionnaire for students asks how they sleep, eat, move and cope, and whether they know where to get help at school. Twelve core questions take about five minutes, and their answer bands are built around the cut-offs in the latest national figures for high schoolers.
- 34questions
- 12in the core
- 5 minfor the core
- Grade 6to grade 12
By Michael Hodge, BSc Psychology Updated September 2026
Five simple health questions to start with
Only have a tutor-time slot? These five give you overall health, sleep, activity, pressure and whether each student has an adult to turn to.
- 01How would you describe your health right now?
- 02How many hours do you usually sleep on a school night?
- 03In the past 7 days, on how many days were you active for at least 60 minutes in total?
- 04I can usually cope with the pressure of schoolwork.
- 05There is an adult at school I could talk to if something was wrong.
All 34 health questions for students
The core arrives already selected. Under each item you get the full answer list and a line on the decision it informs. Add the food, sleep or health care sets as you need them, and add the two consent sets only once parents have agreed.
The core 1212 questions
Five habit questions with fixed time frames, five statements about energy, pressure and support, then what students want help with and one idea for the school. None of them asks about problems, so the core suits a routine notice home.
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How would you describe your health right now?
ExcellentVery goodGoodFairPoorOne overall question students answer quickly. Read the rest of the survey against it: a student who says fair or poor usually explains why further down.
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How many hours do you usually sleep on a school night?
5 hours or less6 hours7 hours8 hours9 hours or moreTeenagers need 8 to 10 hours, so the last two bands are the ones that meet it. Short sleep often explains low energy and focus scores.3
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In the past 7 days, on how many days were you active for at least 60 minutes in total?
0 days1 or 2 days3 or 4 days5 or 6 daysAll 7 daysAdds up PE, sport, walking and play. The 60 minute mark matches the guideline for young people and the national figure.4
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In the past 7 days, on how many days did you eat breakfast?
0 days1 to 3 days4 to 6 daysAll 7 daysA habit the school can do something about, through breakfast clubs or a snack before first period.1
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In the past 7 days, on how many days did you eat fruit?
0 days1 to 3 days4 to 6 daysAll 7 daysA concrete food question with a national comparison. "Do you eat healthy?" gets a yes from almost everyone.1
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I have enough energy to get through the school day.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreePulls sleep, food and activity together into the thing students notice. Low scores here make the habit questions worth a closer look.
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I can usually cope with the pressure of schoolwork.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeAsks about coping, not about symptoms. It shows when workload is the real health issue in a year group.
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There is an adult at school I could talk to if something was wrong.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeCount the students who disagree, not the average. Each one has no adult at school to turn to, and that number is worth acting on.
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I know where to get health help at school, like the nurse or a counselor.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeA fixable gap. If this scores low, the answer is an assembly and a poster, not a new service.
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I have friends at school I can count on.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeFriendship is part of health at this age. Low scores that sit with low scores on the adult question point to students who are on their own.
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Which of these would you like more help with?
SleepStressHealthy eatingExerciseFriendshipsScreen timeNothing right nowTick all that applyTurns the survey into a to-do list. The most ticked option is where a workshop or a tutor-time session will be welcome.
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What is one thing our school could do to help students be healthier?
Open answerStudents suggest concrete things: water fountains, longer lunch, a quiet room. Group the answers into three or four themes.
Food and drink4 questions
Add these when food is on the agenda: a new menu, a breakfast club, or vending machines under review.
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In the past 7 days, on how many days did you eat vegetables?
0 days1 to 3 days4 to 6 daysAll 7 daysPairs with the fruit question in the core. Together they show whether meals at home and at school include plants.
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On a normal day, how many times do you drink a glass or bottle of plain water?
None1 or 2 times3 or 4 times5 or more timesThree times or more is the national marker. Low answers often trace back to where the water fountains are.1
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In the past 7 days, on how many days did you have soda or another sugary drink?
0 days1 to 3 days4 to 6 daysAll 7 daysSugary drinks are the easiest swap to suggest, and the answer shows how big the swap would be.
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I can get a healthy snack or meal at school when I am hungry.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeAsks about access, not choices. A low score is about the canteen and its hours, not about students.
Sleep and mornings4 questions
For year groups whose answers point to late nights or tired mornings. These four questions show where the hours go.
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What time do you usually fall asleep on a school night?
Before 10 pm10 to 11 pm11 pm to midnightAfter midnightBedtime plus the school start time explains short sleep, and shows which of the two a student can move.
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How often do you use a phone or screen in bed before you fall asleep?
NeverRarelySometimesOftenAlwaysThe bedtime habit students can change tonight. Compare it with the fall-asleep times.
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How often do you feel sleepy in morning classes?
NeverRarelySometimesOftenAlwaysWhat teachers see from the front of the room, asked from the student side.
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On weekends, how much later do you get up than on school days?
About the same timeUp to 1 hour later1 to 2 hours laterOver 2 hours laterA big weekend shift makes Monday mornings harder. It is a useful talking point in a health lesson.
Mood and stress (check consent first)5 questions
Questions about feelings. In US schools that receive Department of Education funds these need prior written parental consent before any student is required to answer, so run this set with consent in place and a counselor ready to follow up.
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In the past 2 weeks, how often have you felt worried or nervous?
NeverRarelySometimesOftenAlwaysHow often a feeling comes up in a set window. It is not a diagnosis, and it shows which year groups carry the most worry.
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In the past 2 weeks, how often have you felt down or sad?
NeverRarelySometimesOftenAlwaysRead it next to the adult and friends statements in the core. Students who answer often or always and have no one to talk to are the first priority.1
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What causes you the most stress right now?
SchoolworkTestsFriendsHomeSocial mediaSports or clubsSomething elseTick all that applyShows whether stress comes from inside school, where you can act, or outside it, where you can point to support.
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Who do you talk to when something is bothering you?
A friendA parent or carerA teacherCounselor or nurseSomeone onlineNobodyTick all that applyThe share who tick "Nobody" is the number to bring to the next staff meeting.
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I know ways to calm myself down when I feel stressed.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeCoping skills can be taught. Low agreement makes a strong case for a short class unit on them.
Vaping and alcohol (check consent first)3 questions
Questions about behaviour that is illegal at their age, so the same consent rule applies. Keep this set anonymous with no exceptions.
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In the past 30 days, on how many days did you vape?
0 days1 or 2 days3 to 9 days10 to 29 daysAll 30 daysThe 30-day window is the standard in youth surveys, so the answer can be compared across years.
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In the past 30 days, on how many days did you drink alcohol?
0 days1 or 2 days3 to 9 days10 to 29 daysAll 30 daysSame window and bands as the vaping question, so the two sit side by side in one chart.
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If you wanted to stop vaping, would you know where to get help?
YesNoNot sureI do not vapeTurns a risk question into a support question. The "No" and "Not sure" answers tell you what to advertise.
Health care at school4 questions
For school nurses and health teams planning services, reminders or a health fair.
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In the past 30 days, how many school days did you miss because you were sick?
0 days1 day2 or 3 days4 or more daysA student-side view of health absence to set beside attendance records.
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When did you last see a dentist for a check-up or cleaning?
In the past 12 months1 to 2 years agoOver 2 years agoNeverNot sureDental visits are a common gap and an easy one to close with a screening day.
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Do you have a health condition, like asthma or an allergy, that staff at school should know about?
Yes, and staff knowYes, but staff may not knowNoNot sureThe middle answer is the one that matters. It tells the nurse how many care plans may be missing.
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I would feel comfortable going to the school nurse.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeKnowing where the nurse is and being willing to go are different things. This measures the second.
About you (optional)2 questions
Skip these unless a comparison by grade or by journey to school matters to you. Report a grade only when enough students in it took part to keep them anonymous.
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What grade are you in?
Grade 6 to 8Grade 9 to 10Grade 11 to 12Prefer not to saySleep and activity change fast between grades, so a split by grade is often the first finding.
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How do you usually get to school?
WalkBike or scooterSchool busCarPublic transportWalking or cycling to school is activity students may not count. It also helps explain the activity answers.
How your students compare with high schoolers nationally
Five questions here are cut at the same points the national youth survey reports on. Add up the bands in the middle column and set your share beside the 2025 figure as a close guide.
| Question | Count these answers | US high school students, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep on a school night | 8 hours, 9 hours or more | 24% slept 8 hours or more |
| Days active 60 minutes | All 7 days | 25% every day |
| Days with breakfast | All 7 days | 27% every day |
| Days with fruit | All 7 days | 39% every day |
| Glasses of water a day (food set) | 3 or 4 times, 5 or more times | 58% three times or more |
All five national figures come from the CDC's 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey of students in grades 9 to 12.1 For grades 6 to 8, compare this year with next year instead.
A worked example
Say 120 students in grades 9 to 12 answer. 36 of them choose 8 hours or 9 hours or more, which is 30%, above the national 24%. Only 18 are active all 7 days, which is 15% against 25% nationally.1 Sleep is holding up; activity is the gap. The help list agrees if Exercise is among the most ticked boxes, and that makes a lunchtime sports club or a walking route an easy first step. For a closer look at food, the school lunch questionnaire asks about the menu itself.
Asking students about their health so the answers hold up
Students will tell you a lot if the questions are specific and the setting feels safe. Four choices do most of the work.
Give every question a time frame
The WHO's school survey rules ask for a specific time frame in every question and an answer every student can choose, with no more than eight options.2 That is why the core says "past 7 days" and "school night" instead of "usually" or "enough". A student can count days; nobody can agree on what enough sleep means.
US high school students with four daily habits, 2025
Know the national picture first
In the 2025 national youth survey, only 24% of high school students slept 8 hours or more on a school night and 25% were active for an hour every day.1 The guidelines ask for 8 to 10 hours of sleep for ages 13 to 183 and an average of 60 minutes of activity a day.4 So a school where most students fall short is normal, and a school that beats these bars has something to celebrate.
Make it private in the room
An anonymous link is only half of it. Students also need to know nobody is reading over their shoulder. Let them answer on their own phones or on paper that goes into a closed box, keep staff at the front, and say out loud that any question can be skipped.
Act on one thing, then ask again
Pick the lowest statement or the most ticked help area and make one visible change: a refilled water station, a quiet lunch room, a sleep lesson. Run the core again eight to ten weeks later with the same wording, so the only thing that changed is the school.
Curious how the class sleeps before you send anything? Project the sleep question and let students vote in a live class poll, then see the hour bands fill. The poll set-up steps show the QR code option.
Consent, privacy and a plan for follow-up
Health questions are personal, and two of the sets here fall under US student privacy law. Sort that out before the link goes out and the survey will run smoothly.
| Set | Protected area | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Core, food, sleep, health care, about you | None | Tell parents the dates and topics in your usual notice |
| Mood and stress | Mental or psychological problems | Prior written parental consent for required participation |
| Vaping and alcohol | Illegal or self-incriminating behaviour | Prior written parental consent for required participation |
The rule is the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment. It covers schools and districts that receive US Department of Education funds: no student can be required to take a survey that reveals any of eight protected areas without a parent's prior written consent, parents can ask to see a third-party survey before it runs, and they must be told the dates and be able to opt their child out.5 Outside the US, follow your own district or national rules.
Plan the follow-up before you launch
A mood set will surface students who are struggling: a third of US high school students reported persistent sadness in 2025.1 Name the person who will check the open replies, agree how fast they will do it, and end every version with the counselor's name, room and how to book a chat. Because the survey is anonymous, nobody is singled out; the help is offered to everyone who reads the last screen.
See which support gaps to close first
Type the number of students behind each answer on the energy, pressure, adult, health help and friends statements. The bars rank themselves and mark the weakest one. Print the page for the staff room or a governors' meeting.
- 1Agree plus Strongly agree, over all the answers a statement received, gives its share. The panel works it out while you fill in the counts.
- 2Compare the five statements with each other. A low adult score with a high friends score means peers are carrying each other, and staff need to be easier to reach.
- 3Set the weakest statement beside the habit questions. Low energy next to short sleep tells a clearer story than either number alone.
- 4Tell students what came out and what the school will change first. Once the change has had time to work, ask the identical questions again and look for the bars that moved.
Student health statements
Print the questionnaire for a lesson
Paper works well in a health class, a tutor period or anywhere phones stay in bags. The PDFs are sized for letter and for A4.
Student health questionnaire
Page one holds the core with tick boxes and a line for the open question. The food, sleep, consent sets and health care set follow.
Download PDF
Results worksheet
Tally the paper answers, work out the share agreeing with each statement, and write down the two health goals for this term.
Download PDFHealth questions students cannot answer well, fixed
Four habits that creep into school questionnaires, with wording to copy. The survey question library has worked examples of each question type.
Do you get enough sleep?
How many hours do you usually sleep on a school night?
Students read "enough" in their own way. Hours on a named night can be checked against the 8 to 10 hour guideline.
Do you eat healthy and exercise regularly?
In the past 7 days, on how many days did you eat fruit?
In the past 7 days, on how many days were you active for at least 60 minutes in total?
Two habits in one question, and neither "healthy" nor "regularly" is defined. Split them and give each a count.
Are you depressed or anxious?
In the past 2 weeks, how often have you felt down or sad?
A label asks a student to diagnose themselves. How often a feeling came up in two weeks is something they can answer, and it belongs in the consent set.
Our school cares about your health. How satisfied are you with our health services?
I would feel comfortable going to the school nurse.
The first sentence tells students what to say, and many have never used the services they are asked to rate.
Questions school staff ask first
Short answers for nurses, counselors, health teachers and students running a class project.
What should a health questionnaire for students include?
Sleep, physical activity, food and drink, how students cope with pressure, and whether they know where to get help. Give each habit question a time frame such as the past 7 days, and finish with one open question asking what the school could change.
How long should it be?
Twelve questions take about five minutes and fit in a tutor period. Add one or two sets when you have a reason, such as a food review or a sleep unit, and keep the whole thing under 20 minutes.
Do parents have to agree before students answer?
In US schools that receive Department of Education funds, questions about mental or psychological problems or illegal behaviour need a parent's prior written consent before a student can be required to answer, and parents can opt out of the rest.5 The core and the food, sleep and health care sets avoid those areas.
Can students use these questions for a school project?
Yes. Pick one comparison, such as sleep against energy or grade against activity, and survey whole classes rather than friends. Get the teacher's sign-off and skip the two consent sets unless the school handles consent for you.
Does it work for college students?
Mostly as written. Open it in the builder, change "school" to "campus" and "nurse or counselor" to "health center", and swap the grade question for year of study.
Find out how your students are doing this term
Share the core as a link that opens on any phone, or give out paper copies at the start of a health lesson.
