A review has found that school belonging is central to student wellbeing, academic engagement and educational equity.
The report commissioned by the International Baccalaureate and led by Monash University, titled "The Science of Belonging," synthesizes peer-reviewed studies, meta-analyses and systematic reviews across psychology and education. It defines school belonging as a student's sense of legitimate membership in the school community, grounded in feeling valued, safe and recognized.
Independent data support the report's framing of the problem.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment found that, on average, a third of students surveyed did not feel they belonged at their school, and one in five felt like an outsider. That figure has persisted across several years of research: a 2021 policy paper co-authored by the Monash report's lead author similarly estimated that about one in three students lack a sense of belonging. OECD data also show the problem trending in the wrong direction, with belonging declining by 2 percentage points between 2015 and 2018.
Belonging tied to wellbeing
The Monash review found that stronger belonging can promote wellbeing, while wellbeing itself can also shape how belonging is experienced over time. Schools support that process not only by building belonging, but by reducing threats such as fear, distress, exclusion and chronic stress, according to the report.
A comparable measure from TIMSS 2023 found 12% of fourth-grade students internationally had "little" sense of belonging in the classroom, and linked higher belonging scores to stronger math and science achievement – a pattern consistent with the Monash report's emphasis on belonging as a driver of academic engagement.
Kelly-Ann Allen, an associate professor at Monash University's Faculty of Education and the report's lead author, said belonging is built through cumulative experiences rather than one-off activities.
"We have an opportunity to drive positive change in education systems worldwide," Allen said, adding that belonging stems from consistent relational care, respectful peer cultures and fair responses to harm.
Allen said schools should shift from measuring loneliness to designing conditions that build connection. "Schools need to move past simply counting how many students feel lonely," she said.
Magdalena Balica, lead of wellbeing research at the International Baccalaureate, said the review gives schools an evidence-informed framework. "This study provided an opportunity to look more deeply at the evidence," Balica said.
Six recommendations
The report outlines six recommendations for schools and policymakers:
- Make belonging a core education and equity goal.
- Build everyday opportunities for relationships and participation.
- Embed equity into belonging policies rather than treating it separately.
- Favor multi-level, iterative approaches over rapid interventions.
- Improve measurement through reliable tools and regular student feedback.
- Adopt a system-level belonging indicator.
The report was authored by Allen and Shiqi Dong of Monash University's Faculty of Education, with the study managed on behalf of the IB Research department.