Time to belong: Exploring factors affecting BAME young people’s sense of belonging in relation to their school experiences

Objective: Belongingness is a fundamental human need. This research explores factors affecting BAME young people’s (YP) sense of belonging (SoB) in relation to their school experiences, mainly with school staff and fellow students. It provides a platform for YP with minority voices to speak about their experiences. Methodology: A qualitative methodology used semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis as advocated by Braun and Clarke (2006). The interview questions, whilst semi-structured, were open-ended and did not seek to orient any response, i.e., if a SoB is positively or negatively experienced. The study included eight participants, aged 15-16 years, from BAME backgrounds. Findings: The findings indicate a SoB is experienced more positively by some participants than others. Positive and negative experiences co-existed for many participants. Prominent themes derived from the data include ‘fairness, equality, and ‘race’-based differentials,’ experiencing ‘racist transgressions as normalised behaviours,’ the need for ‘safe spaces and places,’ and ‘culturally sensitive educational experiences.’ Conclusion: The findings of this research indicate experiencing a positive SoB was important to participants. The research has implications for policy and practice in schools, local authorities, Educational Psychology Services, Educational Psychologists, and for individuals or organisations interested in providing high quality, positive experiences of belongingness for all students, including BAME YP.