Back in 2015, an OECD study found that pupils' sense of belonging at school was declining, with a 10% increase in the number who reported feeling like an outsider. More recently, the Nuffield Foundation launched a major study exploring the relationship between pupil belonging, school climate, attendance and achievement in England. 

The National Children's Bureau has described belonging as having "profound significance" for academic engagement, motivation, achievement, self-esteem, mental health and overall well-being. 

But while school culture, leadership and relationships all play a vital role, the physical environment itself must play a major part.  

Learning spaces communicate constantly. A school with nowhere informal to sit, no quiet spaces to retreat to and no visible evidence that pupils are seen as individuals sends a message, whether intentionally or not. Equally, a school designed with flexibility, comfort, community, and pupil agency at its heart sends a very different message.  

This is why learning spaces can’t be viewed purely as operational concerns or interiors projects - they are part of a strategic tool that influences how pupils and teachers experience school every day. 

Education consultant, former teacher and school leader Neil Thomas points out that every aspect of a school’s design influences how pupils experience the space, from the journey through the main entrance to the way they move between lessons, socialise at break time and interact with the wider community. 

He explains: "School leadership teams need to create that feeling of belonging for their community. The students should be at the centre of any effective educational establishment, but there are lots more factors in terms of how the community uses the space, how the community interacts with the school and how the environment supports those relationships.” 

This challenge has become even more important as schools welcome increasingly diverse cohorts and work to support a greater number of pupils with additional needs within mainstream settings.

Belonging is about more than classrooms

 When schools think about learning environments, it's easy to focus on classrooms. Yet belonging is often shaped in the spaces between lessons. 

Can pupils move around the building safely and confidently? Are there places for informal social interaction? Are there quieter areas available for those who find busy environments overwhelming? Does the school provide spaces where different personalities and needs can coexist? 

"The big challenge facing schools is how to meet the needs of all students," says Neil. "If I'm not somebody who wants to kick a football around at breaktime, is there a quiet corner where I can sit safely and feel comfortable? How do we ensure every student feels safe and happy in school?" 

Successful schools recognise that different pupils regulate, socialise and learn in different ways, and this is where thoughtful design becomes critical. 

Biophilic elements, varied learning zones, breakout areas, outdoor learning opportunities and spaces for both gathering and retreat are not aesthetic extras. They are practical tools that help schools create environments where more pupils can feel comfortable, confident and connected. 

As Neil points out, even seemingly small decisions can have a significant impact on how pupils experience school. Whether it's the way students transition between lessons, the availability of outdoor spaces or the creation of calm breakout areas, design can either remove barriers or unintentionally create them. 

Learning from schools in Scotland and Wales

Some of the most interesting thinking around belonging is already happening elsewhere in the UK. 

In Scotland, school design increasingly takes a place-based approach, considering how schools can become community hubs that serve local people as well as pupils. Meanwhile, the Welsh curriculum includes the concept of Cynefin – a Welsh word meaning "the place where we feel we belong." 

For Neil, this idea has powerful implications for school environments. 

"Within the curriculum itself, there's a challenge for school leaders to ensure students understand and feel belonging to the area they're from," he explains. "That can be reflected in the learning spaces within the building as well."

When schools become visible, valued parts of their communities, pupils begin to see themselves as part of something bigger than their individual classroom or year group. 

Listening to the young people who use the space

Perhaps the most important lesson is that belonging cannot be designed for pupils without involving them. 

Students understand their school environment in ways adults often don't. They know which spaces feel welcoming, which areas create anxiety, and where opportunities for improvement exist. 

"The users of the space will always know better than us," says Neil. "Students know where the pinch points are. They know the spaces they don't want to go to because they don't feel very nice. Getting them involved in those conversations is super important." 

When pupils contribute to the design and development of their environment, schools achieve something far more valuable than a refurbishment project. They create ownership. 

And ownership is one of the strongest foundations of belonging. 

Belonging as a strategic priority

Of course, buildings alone can’t solve attendance challenges or transform behaviour. Leadership, teaching, culture, and relationships remain essential, but the environment can either support those efforts or work against them. 

As schools navigate increasing expectations around inclusion, engagement and wellbeing, the question is no longer whether space matters; it’s whether the spaces we create are helping every child feel they belong.