There is no universal experience of school, and no one is likely to have an easy time at school all of the time. Young people in Aotearoa face many challenges in and out of school, and there is significant variation in what those challenges are and who experiences them.
One thing many young people agree on however is that having friends and ‘fitting in’ are key factors in the experience of school, and bullying remains a significant concern for anyone who is in any way seen as ‘different’.
Our young people have good ideas about how to make school a more inclusive place to support those students who are having a tough time. They emphasise that initiatives to increase school engagement should focus not only on learning and achievement but also students’ experiences in order to make school a positive place to be.
Read more about what they had to say – School Experiences: Overcoming Challenges