A consultancy funded by National Strategies (for the Department of Children, Schools, and Families)
The national Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning programme was designed as a comprehensive approach to promoting the social and emotional skills needed for effective learning, positive behaviour, regular attendance, and emotional well-being. Schools have implemented SEAL in many different ways, but little was known about how differences in the implementation of SEAL relate to differences in school ethos and thereby to outcomes regarding attainment, behaviour, and attendance.
This project, led by Robin Banerjee and funded by the National Strategies, involved a combination of: a) ratings of SEAL implementation from school visits; and b) online surveys of over 2,500 pupils and over 650 school staff regarding their social and emotional experiences at school and perceptions of school ethos. Results clarified the nature and importance of a ‘whole-school’ approach to SEAL, which included engagement of all staff and universal learning opportunities for all pupils. This was found to be the strongest predictor of an enhanced school ethos, characterised by positive social relationships, attitudes, and behaviour. This, in turn, predicted more positive pupil experiences of peer interaction, better Ofsted ratings for Behaviour, lower levels of Persistence Absence, and higher academic attainment in Key Stage 2 SATs and GCSEs. Finally, a cluster of contextual supports was found to be associated with effective whole-school implementation, including engagement with families and communities, approaches to enhancing staff well-being, staff professional development, and data collection within schools.