The Importance of Belonging: Learning from the Student Experience of Democratic Education
This article grew out of an extensive piece of grounded theory research that explored students’ experiences of democratic education. A small democratic school in the south of England is used as a case study. Students in this school experienced a strong sense of belonging—to the school itself, with teachers, and with peers. This appeared to make a significant contribution to school outcomes. Data indicated that students’ sense of belonging was in part influenced by the democratic nature of the school, including its style of leadership. This resonated with existing literature. This article outlines key features of the school alongside empirical data about belongingness. A brief review of literature is provided. It concludes with a series of recommendations for practitioners.