Sense of belonging
Definition
The proportion of 15 year olds who agree or strongly agree that their school is a place where they feel “like an outsider”, or “awkward or out of place”, as measured by the 2003 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
Relevance
Teenagers spend a considerable amount of time in educational settings, and schools often serve as a hub for networking, peer relationships and friendships. Perceptions of social exclusion or isolation can strongly affect the quality of young people’s lives.
Current level
The 2003 PISA Study found that the majority of 15 year olds feel a sense of belonging to their school.
In 2003, just 7.7 percent said that they feel like an outsider (or left out of things) while 10.4 percent said they feel awkward and out of place.
Proportion of 15 year olds who feel ‘like an outsider’ and/or ‘awkward and out of place’, 2003
Source: PISA 2003, downloaded from www.pisa.oecd.org. Missing responses have been excluded from denominator.
