Cultivating School Belonging: Strategies That Support Students to Thrive

Everyone needs to belong somewhere. The feeling of belonging is a basic human need: it gives us a sense of place in the world and is critical for our resilience and wellbeing. 

Developing belonging helps improve wellbeing in school

For children and young people, feeling a valued part of a school community gives a sense of belonging. Schools that are working hard to build inclusive school communities where all students feel they can participate – none are marginalised – are protecting the mental health of their pupils. 

Why is belonging at school so important now?

We all know how hard it can be to join new groups, to put ourselves forward in situations that don’t feel natural to us. And what’s natural about schools at the moment? During lock-down young people were at home for months, their interaction with their peers, if any, was mainly through the use of technology, through screen time and virtual classrooms.  This has resulted in missed opportunities during critical adolescent developmental stages to learn the skills to build positive and supportive friendships with peers and relationships with school and contributing to the increased mental health problems we are seeing in young people we are seeing increase year on year

Belonging at school is more important than ever. By fostering a sense of belonging, schools can help students feel connected, supported, and valued despite the challenges they may face.

Furthermore, promoting belonging in schools builds resilience in students and equips them with crucial skills for navigating the world outside of school. In an increasingly diverse society, it is essential for young people to learn how to navigate different cultures and perspectives with respect and empathy.

In summary, developing a culture of belonging in schools is crucial for supporting student wellbeing and positive mental health. It also sets them up for success and develops their ability to thrive at school.

Helping schools to develop belonging and inclusion is becoming a priority for the new government and will be part of the forthcoming Wellbeing In Education reforms that are aimed at supporting the holistic development of children and young people as well as academic outcomes.

Speaking at the Confederation of School Trusts’ conference Bridget Philipson, Education Secretary pointed to international data showing a third of 15-year-olds don’t feel like they belong in school.“We’ve gone backwards, and we’ve fallen behind, and we’ve got to put this right.

“That’s why thriving and belonging will feature so prominently in our work in the opportunity mission, hand in hand with attainment."

School belonging reduces suspension and prevents exclusion

A recent study by Jodie Pennacchia, Toby Greany (1) (May 2024), found that human relationships held great importance in creating a sense of belonging for students in all six case study schools they investigated when looking at 6 secondary schools with high levels of student need and disadvantage that were also how on exclusion or suspensions. Students were seen, known, cared for, understood and supported in ways which best met their needs – leading to an inclusive environment for everyone at the school.

They found this “inclusion for all” approach in policies that encompassed the whole school. Countering discrimination, for instance, was included in the curriculum as a planned, coherent and ongoing programme of activities that benefited both staff and students this included staff CPD and pupil voice interventions.

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Positive relationships are essential for wellbeing

While there are many different factors that can impact the mental health of young people, one of the most significant is relationships. Positive relationships with peers, teachers, and other adults can make a massive difference in young people's mental health, both in the short-term and the long-term. (2)

Feeling like you belong is an essential component of good mental health. When young people feel like they belong to a school community, they're more likely to feel valued, seen, and supported. This sense of belonging can come from a variety of sources, including peer groups, extra-curricular activities, and class communities. As educators, we can encourage students to get involved in school activities and work to create a sense of belonging in our classrooms.

Positive relationships can help students build resilience. When young people face challenges, having supportive relationships can help them stay optimistic and focused on their goals. These relationships can provide a source of motivation and encouragement, even in the face of adversity. Helping students learn to build and maintain supportive relationships, which can serve as a foundation of resilience throughout their lives and support the protection of positive mental health.

Positive relationships act as a container for any other mental health tools, strategies and interventions in your school, not only do the relationships act as a wellbeing intervention they also amplify and make other strategies for mental health more effective.

Belonging is essential for transitions at school

For those going back into schools they’ve been at for years, the sense of belonging they have to the school community may still be strong, more so in students who have positive relationships with their peers and have an established friendship group. To some children, especially those in year 7, may seem like a replay of the primary to secondary transition. Moving from primary to secondary, can cause stress and anxiety. It takes time for young people to find a sense of belonging in a new school and there will be higher levels of anxiety and stress in many students. 

Whole school approaches develop belonging and thriving

Schools must continue to prioritise creating an environment where every student feels an integral part of the community and has the opportunity to thrive. A strong sense of belonging not only improves educational outcomes but also contributes to more harmonious and inclusive societies. As academic pressures, staff stress and retain issues, behaviour issues and persistent absence impact educational outcomes schools need to renew their commitment to fostering spaces where diversity is celebrated, voices are valued, and everyone has the capacity to succeed.

This will be championed through intentional efforts to nurture and sustain belonging, the most effective way to do that is with a whole school approach to wellbeing, with an ethos and culture for establishing and maintaining positive relationships as a core pillar of school wellbeing.

Peer support essential for wellbeing

Integral to a whole school approach to belonging and wellbeing are interventions that draw upon pupil voice or peer-to-peer support, that lead and champion positive relationships.

Many young people find it easier to talk to their peers than to discuss their feelings with family members or professionals. Nurturing peer to peer relationships builds trust and can increase feelings of control in the peer and the ambassador. Positive relationships help young people feel that they belong at school, which is essential for wellbeing. 

School connectedness can be defined as the belief by student that both peers and teachers in their school care about their learning and them as individuals (3). Students are more likely to engage in healthy behaviours and succeed academically when they feel connected to a school. 

Our Wellbeing Ambassador Programme, through combining both coaching psychology and positive psychology techniques, ensures that groups of young people are trained and supported to develop peer wellbeing in their schools.  

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I saw the impact the Wellbeing Ambassadors Programme had on the other students we were supporting they became more open and friendly with not only us but their peers around them.

Lydia Year 11 Wellbeing Ambassador Brig House High School

Wellbeing Ambassadors to support school belonging

The Wellbeing Ambassadors Programme can help young people build resilience and improve wellbeing by enhancing feelings of belonging through positive peer relationships. Students feel cared for and listened to, feel like they are part of something. The benefits of this wellbeing programme are not only for the peer being supported but are also for the ambassador as they learn new skills that improve wellbeing and contribute positively to their school community. 

Worth-it has developed this programme over several years, working with CAMHS, schools and local authorities. Most importantly, the programme has been developed with young people themselves. As Wellbeing Ambassadors, young people build on their listening, communication, reliability, responsibility, supportiveness, empowerment, and motivational skills as well as learn the importance of being non-judgemental towards others and themselves.

Once trained, young people lead a variety of wellbeing initiatives in their school or setting. These vary depending on what the Ambassadors themselves have identified as key priorities to improve peer wellbeing. Students may choose to run initiatives such as reducing racism, raising awareness of suicide prevention, offering LGBTQ+ support groups and running campaigns to reduce stigma surrounding mental illness. The Wellbeing Ambassadors decide what’s best for their school community and, in opening up conversations and offering support, contribute to an increased sense of belonging for their peers.

The full effects of the pandemic on the mental health of young people will not be realised for years to come, but the time is now to put interventions in place to minimise repercussions, protect mental health and reduce the risk of mental illness. Find out more about the impact on young people's mental health and wellbeing of our Wellbeing Ambassadors Programme by accessing our free impact report.

Find out further information about developing your own peer wellbeing intervention by downloading our wellbeing ambassadors free cheatsheet.

References ‍

1. School suspensions are on the rise – secondary schools can tackle this by creating a sense of belonging. The Conversation Jodie Pennacchia, Toby Greany, May 2024 Accessed here‍

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009). School connectedness: Strategies for increasing protective factors among youth. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2009. www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth‍

3. What does coaching have to offer to young people at risk of developing mental health problems? A grounded theory study Liz Robson-Kelly & Christian van Nieuwerburgh International Coaching Psychology Review l Vol. 11 No. 1 March 2016