A diverse group of children connected in a circle, symbolizing school belonging.

Is Your Child Truly Connected at School? Why It Matters & How to Measure It

Reese Marlowe in Mind & Education December 2025 • 4 min read.

"A systematic review reveals the strengths and weaknesses of current tools for assessing school connectedness, and what it means for your child's wellbeing."

In today's educational landscape, school is more than just a place for academic learning. It's a crucial environment for developing social skills, building self-esteem, and fostering overall wellbeing. A key element in a child's positive school experience is their sense of 'school connectedness' – that feeling of belonging, acceptance, and support that can significantly impact their academic success and long-term mental health.

Research consistently demonstrates that students who feel connected to their school are more likely to engage in positive behaviors, achieve better grades, and graduate. Conversely, a lack of school connectedness can lead to increased risk-taking behaviors, anxiety, and depression. Recognizing the importance of this concept, educators and researchers are actively seeking ways to measure and improve school connectedness for all students.

But how do we accurately gauge something as personal and subjective as a child's sense of belonging? This is where the challenge lies. While numerous tools and methods exist to assess school connectedness, their effectiveness and reliability vary considerably. A recent systematic review has shed light on the strengths and weaknesses of these assessment measures, providing valuable insights for parents, educators, and anyone invested in the wellbeing of school-aged children.

Decoding School Connectedness: More Than Just 'Liking' School

A diverse group of children connected in a circle, symbolizing school belonging.

The idea of 'school connectedness' can be tricky because it means different things to different people. It's not just about whether a child 'likes' school; it's a much deeper sense of belonging. Think of it as a combination of:

Researchers have identified three key areas that contribute to school connectedness:

Affective: This involves a student's feelings – do they feel accepted, respected, and safe at school? Do they value their education?
Cognitive: This relates to their perceptions – do they feel supported by teachers and peers? Do they believe the school is fair and disciplined?
Behavioral: This encompasses their actions – are they actively involved in school activities? Do they demonstrate effort and persistence in their studies? Are they motivated to learn?

When a child experiences these three elements, they're more likely to feel a strong sense of school connectedness, which in turn fuels their academic and social-emotional growth.

The Future of Measuring Belonging: A Call for Better Tools

While the systematic review highlighted some promising measures, it also revealed significant limitations in the existing tools for assessing school connectedness. Many measures lack comprehensive coverage of all three key domains (affective, cognitive, and behavioral) and haven't been thoroughly tested with younger students.

This means that educators and researchers need to be cautious when selecting and using these assessments. More research is needed to develop and validate tools that are reliable, accurate, and age-appropriate, especially for children in early primary school. By investing in better measurement methods, we can gain a deeper understanding of school connectedness and create more supportive learning environments for all students.

Ultimately, fostering a sense of belonging at school is a shared responsibility. Parents, educators, and the wider community must work together to create environments where every child feels valued, respected, and connected. The right assessment tools can provide valuable insights, but the real work lies in building relationships, promoting inclusivity, and ensuring that every student has the support they need to thrive.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203373, Alternate LINK

Title: Evaluating The Psychometric Quality Of School Connectedness Measures: A Systematic Review

Subject: Multidisciplinary

Journal: PLOS ONE

Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Authors: Amy Hodges, Reinie Cordier, Annette Joosten, Helen Bourke-Taylor, Renée Speyer

Published: 2018-09-11

Everything You Need To Know

What exactly is school connectedness?

School connectedness is a profound sense of belonging, acceptance, and support that students experience within the school environment. It's not merely about a student's enjoyment of school, but rather, it is a complex interplay of affective, cognitive, and behavioral elements. This feeling significantly influences a child's academic success and long-term mental health, with connected students showing better academic performance and reduced risk of negative behaviors, while a lack of school connectedness can lead to anxiety and depression.

What are the key components that make up school connectedness?

The three key areas that contribute to school connectedness are Affective, Cognitive, and Behavioral. Affective aspects involve a student's feelings of being accepted, respected, and safe, and valuing their education. Cognitive aspects focus on their perceptions of support from teachers and peers, and their belief in the school's fairness and discipline. Behavioral aspects encompass their actions, including involvement in school activities, effort in studies, and motivation to learn. When all these elements are present, a child is more likely to feel a strong sense of school connectedness, leading to enhanced social-emotional growth.

Why is school connectedness so important for a child?

School connectedness is important because it impacts multiple facets of a child's well-being, ranging from their academic performance to their mental health. Students who have a strong feeling of school connectedness tend to engage in positive behaviors, which contributes to higher grades and greater likelihood of graduation. Conversely, those lacking this connection are more susceptible to risk-taking behaviors, along with increased levels of anxiety and depression. The concept of School connectedness is therefore a crucial factor in the holistic development of a child.

How easy is it to measure a child's sense of school belonging?

Measuring a child's sense of belonging can be challenging because it is a subjective and personal experience. Currently, many assessment tools exist, but their effectiveness and reliability vary. Many of these tools do not fully assess all key aspects of school connectedness (affective, cognitive, and behavioral) and may not be fully tested with younger students. Researchers are seeking to improve assessment methods to provide more valuable insights for parents and educators and to better support student well-being.

What are the implications of school connectedness for the development of a child?

Understanding the implications of school connectedness can help in fostering a supportive environment for students. Educators and parents can focus on creating environments that nurture the affective, cognitive, and behavioral elements. By ensuring that students feel accepted and respected (affective), perceive strong support (cognitive), and are actively engaged (behavioral), it promotes the development of a robust sense of belonging. This holistic approach can lead to improved academic outcomes, along with positive mental health and a greater sense of overall well-being for students.