What actually is a ‘sense of belonging’? Before we can look at how to improve it, we need to make sure we all know what it is.
From November 2025, Ofsted introduced a New Education Inspection Framework (EIF), marking a significant shift in how schools are evaluated. Rather than focusing on isolated judgements, the updated framework places greater emphasis on students’ lived experiences of school, including inclusion, wellbeing, behaviour and attendance.
While Sense of Belonging is not a discrete judgement within the framework, it underlies many of the areas Ofsted now prioritises. Inclusion is no longer viewed as a standalone consideration; instead, it weaves through the fabric of school life, influencing areas such as attendance, personal development and wellbeing and, ultimately, attainment.
In this blog, we will explore:
What we mean by a Sense of Belonging
A sense of belonging refers to the extent to which students feel accepted, valued, respected and included within their school community. It is not simply about being present in a classroom but about feeling that you matter, that you are recognised as a legitimate and important member of the school.
In educational research, belonging is often described as a basic psychological need. When students feel they belong, they are more likely to engage with learning, build positive relationships with peers and staff, and persist through challenge. When they do not, students are more likely to disengage, withdraw or display behaviours that reflect a lack of connection rather than a lack of ability.
In practice, a sense of belonging is shaped by everyday experiences. It can be influenced by:
- The quality of relationships between students and staff
- Whether students see themselves reflected in the curriculum and wider school culture
- How safe students feel to express their identity, ask questions and make mistakes
- The consistency and fairness of behaviour expectations
Crucially, belonging is not something that can be created through policy alone. While inclusive policies are important, students develop a sense of belonging through repeated interactions, shared norms, and the messages they receive, explicitly and implicitly, about who is valued in their school.
Why fostering inclusion and belonging matters
Although sense of belonging is not a discrete judgement within the Ofsted framework, it is highlighted across multiple inspection areas. Ofsted is increasingly concerned with how students experience school day to day, not simply whether inclusive policies exist on paper.
In the updated framework, inclusive providers are described as being “at the heart of their communities” characterised by:
- High expectations and aspirations for every child and learner
- A strong awareness of, and responsiveness to, students who require additional support, including:
- Disadvantaged students
- Students with SEND
- Children known, or previously known, to children’s social care
- Students who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing
A strong sense of belonging underpins each of these expectations. When students feel accepted, valued and safe within their school community, they are more likely to engage positively with learning and develop the social and emotional foundations needed to thrive.
In short, a sense of belonging acts as a bridge between inclusion as a principle and inclusion as a lived experience.
How belonging links to wider outcomes across a school setting
Attendance and behaviour are often treated as issues of compliance, motivation or discipline. However, they might also indicate whether students feel they belong in their school environment.
When students feel connected to their school, they are more likely to attend regularly. In contrast, students who feel marginalised or misunderstood are at greater risk of persistent absence, not because they don’t value education, but because they don’t feel like they fully belong.
A similar pattern can be seen with behaviour. Those with a strong sense of belonging are more likely to internalise school expectations, as they feel fair rather than imposed. Challenging behaviour can sometimes be understood as a response to disconnection, a signal that a student is struggling to find their place.
From an Ofsted perspective, this link is particularly important. Inspectors look not only at behaviour outcomes but also at:
- How consistently expectations are applied
- How safe students feel in school
- Whether behaviour systems are inclusive and supportive, rather than punitive
In this way, belonging helps shift attendance and behaviour from a question of control to one of connection.
Final thoughts
With the shift to a new framework, Ofsted has prompted a new approach and outlook regarding inclusion. Seeing inclusion underlying many aspects of what we see in schools, from attendance to behaviour, we can better understand how to foster a sense of belonging for our students and, in doing so, improve outcomes across the whole school community.
