Do academically strong pupils at your school who are on the Pupil Premium register progress as quickly and attain as highly as academically strong pupils who are not?
Do these students sometimes grasp new concepts quickly and securely in the classroom and show flair and promise in lessons, only to perform less well in exams than their more advantaged peers?
If so, what can be done to close the attainment gap?
In this series of three blog posts,
Rachel Macfarlane, Lead Adviser for Underserved Learners at HFL Education, explores the reasons for the attainment gap and offers practical strategies to help close it – focusing in
Part 1 on diagnosing the challenges and barriers, and in
Part 2 on eliminating economic exclusion. This third instalment explores the importance of a sense of belonging and status.
Our yearning to belong is one of the most fundamental feelings we experience as humans. In psychologist Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the need to experience a sense of connection and belonging sits immediately above the need for basic necessities – food, water, warmth and personal safety.
When we experience belonging, we feel calm and safe. We become more empathetic and our mood improves. In short, as Owen Eastwood explains, belonging is “a necessary condition for human performance” (Belonging, 2021:26).
Learners from less economically advantaged backgrounds than their peers often feel that they don’t fit in and have a low sense of self-worth, regardless of their academic strength. Painfully aware of what they lack compared to others, they can disappear into the shadows, consciously or subconsciously making themselves invisible. They may not volunteer to read or answer questions in class. Or audition for a part in the school play or choir. Or sign up for leadership opportunities.
They may lack the respect, rank and position that is afforded by fitting comfortably into the ‘in group’: identifying with and operating within the dominant culture, possessing the latest designer gear, phone and other material goods, being at the centre of social media groups and activity and connecting effortlessly, through lived experiences and lifestyle, with peers who hold social power and are seen as leaders and role models.
Pupils who are academically strong but who lack status are likely to be fragile and nervous learners, finding it harder to work in teams, to trust others and to accept feedback. Their energy and focus can be sapped by the trauma of navigating social situations, they are prone to feel the weight of external scrutiny and judgement, and all of that will detract from their ability to perform at their best.
The good news is that, as educators, we have amazing powers to convey a sense of belonging and status.
Ten top tips to build learners’ sense of belonging and status
The following simple behaviours convey the message that the educator cares about, is invested in, notices and respects the learner; that they have belief in their potential and want to give their discretionary effort to them.
- Welcome them to the class, ensuring that you make eye contact, address them by name and give them a smile – establishing your positive relationship and helping them feel noticed, valued and safe in the learning environment.
- Go out of your way to find opportunities to give them responsibilities or assign a role to them, making it clear to them the skills and/or knowledge they possess that make(s) them perfect for the job.
- Reserve a place for them at clubs and ensure they are well inducted into enrichment opportunities.
- Arrange groupings for activities to ensure they have supportive peers to work with.
- Invite them to contribute to discussions, to read and to give their opinions. Don’t allow confident learners to dominate the discussion (learners with high status talk more!) and don’t ask for volunteers to read (students with low status are unlikely to volunteer).
- Show respect for their opinions and defer to them for advice. e.g. “So, I’m wondering what might be the best way to go about this. Martha, what do you think?” “That’s a good point, Nitin. I hadn’t thought of that. Thank you!”
- Make a point of telling them you think they should put themselves forward for opportunities (e.g. to go to a football trial, audition for the show, apply to be a prefect) and provide support (e.g. with writing an application or practising a speech).
- Connect them with a champion or mentor (adult or older peer) from a similar background who has achieved success to build their self-belief.
- Secure high-status work experience placements or internships for them.
- Invite inspiring role models with similar lived experience into school or build the stories of such role models into schemes of learning and assemblies.
Finally, it is worth remembering that classism (judging a person negatively based on factors such as their home, income, occupation, speech, dialect or accent, lifestyle, dress sense, leisure activities or name) is rife in many schools, as it is in society. In schools where economically disadvantaged learners thrive and achieve impressive outcomes, classism is treated as seriously as the ‘official’ protected characteristics. In these schools, the taught curriculum and staff unconscious bias, EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) and language training address classism directly and leaders take impactful action to eliminate any manifestations of it.
More from this series:
Plus: this year's NACE Conference will draw on the latest research (including our own current research programme) and case studies to explore how schools can remove barriers to learning and create opportunities for all young people to flourish.
Read more and book your place.
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