What does it mean to feel you belong and matter in school?

Inclusion is the fourth of the ASPIRE principles for positive education: Agency, Safety, Positivity, Inclusion, Respect and Equity.

Dignity is the backbone of mattering … It is the feeling of being recognised, acknowledged, included and respected for who we are or what we know … making us feel human (Prilleltensky, 2021 p 32).

Inclusion is treating each individual as worthy of both respect and participation. It is not simply tolerating difference but accepting and celebrating each person’s unique place in the world while also valuing our shared humanity - that we have more in common than divides us. It does not discriminate against anyone on account of their gender, race, sexuality, disability, religion, socio-economic status, ethnicity, idiosyncrasy or anything else. It challenges the definition of what is ‘normal’ and embraces the diversity that enriches us all. Inclusive policies and practices are not just focused on those at risk of discrimination but the way all stakeholders in a school think about and treat each other.

Belonging

We are hard-wired to connect with others. Babies do not smile at six weeks by accident, it enhances their chances of survival by positively engaging with – and rewarding - those who are caring for them. We all need to feel we belong somewhere. It is critical to our psychological and emotional wellbeing and is now known as one of the main factors for resilience and positive adaptation to adversity.

Belonging to school

What does it mean to belong to school? In 1993 Goodenow and Grady defined this as "the extent to which students feel personally accepted, respected, included, and supported by others in the school social environment”. It is also now acknowledged that school belonging is also aligned with purpose and progress in learning. Unless students can appreciate the relevance to to their own lives of what is on the curriculum and perceive themselves as making progress, school as a hub of knowledge and understanding has little meaning for them.

Students are more likely to feel they belong to school when they believe that the adults there are interested in them as people, care about their learning and help them aim high. Pupils disengage when learning is neither meaningful nor challenging so the more teachers encourage ideas, support goal-setting and mastery, ask pupils to explain their work, and promote learning over performance, the more students feel they belong to school.?

It is, however, not only being valued in school but also being given opportunities to be 'of value' - this is aligned with the principles of agency and respect.

Belonging in school has implications for society beyond the immediate learning environment, addressing racism, homophobia, misogyny and discrimination against minorities. When children and young people feel alienated from school they will look for a sense of belonging elsewhere and are therefore potentially unsafe and vulnerable to exploitation.

School attendance and life trajectories

There is growing concern about increases in exclusions, alienation, and a sense of ‘not belonging' in school, and the impact of this on young people’s well-being and life chances. In the UK, research indicates that 1 in 4 pupils do not feel they belong in school, and this number increases with those from more disadvantaged communities, black pupils, and those identified as having special educational needs.

The impact of the pandemic on school attendance has been widely reported. There are estimates that the number of children in the UK who are more out of school than in has increased by 108%, with one in five children regularly absent. Those most at risk are children whose families are struggling with debt or homelessness, those with health issues or are carers for family members and those with additional needs. High levels of anxiety also contribute, as well as practices such as informally ‘off-rolling’ students who present with difficulties and/or lower a school’s academic results

Exclusion and rejection are powerful instigators of emotions that can have far-reaching consequences. Social rejection activates many of the same brain regions involved in physical pain and it is now acknowledged that the pain of being excluded is on a par with that of physical hurt. Social rejection can influence not only mental health but also cognition and even physical health. It may also have wider and more dangerous implications, leading to aggression and even violence. In 2003, Leary and colleagues analysed 15 cases of school shooters and found all but two suffered from social rejection.

Inclusion in the future

If we are going to build a healthier, safer, more cohesive society we need to ensure that children feel they belong to school and see themselves thriving there. We need to teach and model the value of diversity and our shared humanity. This includes honouring the unique value of every child, whatever their ability, background or aspiration as well as acknowledging our commonalities.

The content of this article is extracted from ASPIRE to Wellbeing and Learning for All in Early Years and Primary - to be published by Routledge on June 3rd. The book contains many examples of inclusion in practice.

Goodenow, C. & Grady, K.E. (1993). The Relationship of School Belonging and Friends' Values to Academic Motivation Among Urban Adolescent Students. The Journal of Experimental Education, 62(1), 60–71.

Leary, M.R., Kowalski, R.M., Smith, L. & Phillips, S. (2003). Teasing, rejection, and violence: Case studies of the school shootings. Aggressive Behavior, 29(3), 202–214.

Prilleltensky, I. & Prilleltensky,O. (2021) How People Matter: Why it Affects Health, Happiness, Love, Work and Society. Cambridge University Press.

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