
Pupils’ sense of belonging, or school connectedness, is increasingly talked about in education circles – particularly in relation to the absence epidemic, which education secretary Bridget Phillipson described as “the canary in the coal mine for belonging in our country” (DfE, 2024).
Belonging can be defined as “the extent to which children feel personally accepted, respected, included, and supported by others in the school social environment” (Goodenow, 1993).
An important research report (ImpactEd, 2024) found that pupils’ scores on a test measuring belonging were strongly related to attendance, much more so than measures of anxiety, wellbeing or grit.
The test asked pupils to say how much they agree with statements like:
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