Building Belonging in Schools Cultivating Classrooms of Connection

Introduction

Part I: The Science of Belonging

1. What do we know about the psychology of belonging?

2. How does neurobiology influence our drive for belonging?

3. What's the relationship between belonging and learning?

4. In-groups, out-groups, and social identity

5. What are the barriers to belonging, and how does 'othering' occur?

Part II: Building Belonging in Primary Schools

6. And she whispered, "What if nobody likes me?"

7. The role of play and collaboration in building bonds

8. Building connection through shared values

9. The Giant Chicken Effect: the science and art of shared rituals

10. Seeing themselves, and being seen, at school

Part III: Belonging At Its Most Fragile: Transition to Secondary

11. How secondary transition breaks belonging

12. Improving relational coherence between primary and secondary schools

13. Say it to believe it: I belong here

14. A realistic approach to harnessing autonomy

Part IV: Belonging in Secondary School

15. The adolescent brain: developmental challenges and opportunities for belonging

16. Improving relational cultures between pupils and teachers

17. Peer pressure: The double-edged sword of group dynamics

Conclusion

Biography

Jon Hutchinson is Regional Director at the Reach Foundation, UK. Jon is also cofounder of Meno Academy, a platform providing high quality, bite-sized subject knowledge videos for primary school teachers.

"Genuinely one of the best books I have ever read. Possibly the perfect edu-book. Smuggles in so much more than belonging. Tenderly written."

- Peps Mccrea, Director of Education, Steplab

"Very few books shift a national conversation. Building Belonging in Schools is one of them. In reframing belonging through interdisciplinary and intersectional lenses, Jon Hutchinson brings clarity to something too often treated superficially. At a time when inclusion matters more than ever, Building Belonging in Schools is not just a compelling argument, but a practical one. It has real implications for the curriculum, teaching, and school culture. And it matters for learning, because when pupils feel they belong, they engage more deeply and they achieve more. It’s full of subtle insights and sensitive strategies and I guarantee you’ll take away at least one idea and put it into your practice immediately."

- Mary Myatt, Education writer and speaker, Founder of The Myatt & Co Curriculum

"This is a superb and timely book: intellectually serious, morally grounded, and deeply practical. It refuses the shallow comforts that too often pass for “belonging” and instead roots the idea in real learning science, strong teaching, and the daily conditions that help students thrive. Most importantly, it dismantles the false choice between belonging and academic rigour. Here, belonging is not the soft alternative to excellence; it is one of the conditions that makes excellence possible. Essential reading for school leaders and teachers alike."

- Dr Haili Hughes, Associate Professor of Educational Impact and Innovation at La Trobe University, Melbourne

"Some books confirm what you already think. This one doesn’t. Jon Hutchinson takes an idea that can sometimes feel vague or overused and makes it feel practical and meaningful for everyday school life. What’s clear is that belonging isn’t a programme or initiative, it’s something built through relationships, routines and thousands of everyday interactions. This is an important book for anyone who works with children, and for parents too."

- Ben Erskine, Executive Principal at The 4 Cs Academy Trust

"Amongst the host of teachers and education leaders writing about "belonging", Jon emerges as the most authentic and expert voice. Jon's voice is authentic, because he has been talking about it for years, and long before it became the topic du jour. Jon's voice is expert, because the wealth of reading and research he has undergone lends him rare insight and wisdom. Belonging seems like an obvious and simple idea, but Jon outlines how in truth it is deep and complex, and liable to misinterpretation and poor implementation. I highly recommend Jon's book as an antidote to those concerns, and it will equip any teacher and leader with the knowledge they need to consider belonging in their classrooms and schools in a way that is evidence-based and true to the research."

- Adam Boxer, Science Teacher and Education Director of Carousel