Reading and Belonging – Two Sides of the Same Coin

Helen Jeys, GSA President and Head Mistress of Manchester High School for Girls

England’s teenagers held their ground in reading in the latest PISA results, even as scores fell across the OECD. The report also contains a quieter finding that matters just as much – girls report a significantly weaker sense of belonging in a school than boys, and the UK has among the widest gaps internationally. Here, GSA President Helen Jeys, Head Mistress of Manchester High School for Girls argues that reading and belonging are two sides of the same coin, and that neither can come at the expense of the other.

I always read the PISA report, published by the OECD every three years, with interest. As Head of a large girls’ school and President of the Girls’ Schools Association, the conclusion that the UK has one of the widest gaps between girls’ and boy’s sense of belonging is of particular note and makes me reflect on the importance of my own philosophical approach to education which is, crucially, holistic.

Academic success and wellbeing are inseparable, and this report offers lessons for preparing young people for the future.

2026 is the National Year of Reading and we are doing a lot in our schools to celebrate books and the joy they can bring into our lives. It is, indeed, gratifying to see that England’s teenagers outperformed many of their international peers in maths and science, but it is reading that stands out. While reading scores fell across the OECD, England’s held steady: only three education systems performed significantly better, and England is now ahead of countries such as Finland (with girls also outperforming boys in reading by 11 score points). With an average score of 497, pupils in England scored significantly above the OECD average of 461.

Inevitably, much of the blame for declining reading skills is levelled at the rise in skim-reading social media posts, and Andreas Schleicher, the OECD’s Director for Education and Skills, noted that those countries where devices were allowed for leisure at school saw ‘substantially lower’ student performance. The link between reading and academic success is well established: the OECD reported in 2002 that reading enjoyment is more important for children’s educational success than their family’s socio-economic status. A quotation often attributed to Margaret Atwood is on point here: “I read for pleasure and that is the moment I learn the most.”

For me, as Head of Manchester High School for Girls and President of the Girls’ Schools Association, these results provide an opportunity to reflect. I remember very clearly asking my Head of English just a few years ago whether she thought that social media was impacting our girls’ willingness to read. She said that quite the opposite was true, with attendance at book clubs soaring in recent years. I then asked a member of my Head Girl Team what she felt about reading and I would hope that her views reflect those of many at my school and others around the country. Her answer was music to my ears:

“Reading has enabled me to live a thousand different lives. Books have given me adventures to explore but have also taught me empathy and the importance of imagination. Reading has changed my view of the world.”

Just today, a Head of Year spoke of the ‘unsung heroes’, our school librarians who – evangelical in their passion for reading and their support of girls’ reading – guide our students to appropriate and challenging books, avoiding the potential dangers of leaning too heavily BookTok without that critical eye. Time will tell whether the new rules on mobile phones in schools have a positive impact here, and whether reading for pleasure returns to its pre-pandemic levels. I very much hope so.

Some responses to the results have rightly stressed the continued importance of an academic focus in widening opportunity for all. I agree – we need to help young people develop transferable academic skills that will enable them to thrive in a world shaped by emerging technologies.

However, we must not ignore what the report says about belonging. Girls generally report more positive attitudes to learning – higher levels of curiosity and perseverance, and stronger help-seeking and goal-setting – yet a significantly weaker sense of belonging at school than boys.

The UK has one of the largest such gaps internationally, and separate Department for Education analysis of PISA data found that 58 per cent of girls in England feel they belong at school, compared with 66 per cent of boys. The report notes that when students feel accepted, included and valued, their emotional connection to learning is strengthened and this can help sustain their engagement over time. I have always been passionate about the importance of exactly this – the close link between positive mental health and academic success – and the vital importance of holistic approaches to education. Pupils need to know that they belong, that they are members of a mutually supportive community, that happiness matters. And it matters not just for personal development and fulfilment, but for academic outcomes too. We must not overlook these findings.

GSA Research has found that girls in girls’ schools have higher levels of ‘mental toughness’, and this sense of resilience and tenacity is crucial to positive mental health. Girls in my school and in others across the country talk about the importance of their community, and our diverse community is something of which we are exceptionally proud. Every girl needs to feel that she has a voice, that she is valued as an individual; these are crucial to that vital sense of belonging. We have to get this right in schools. Another girl at my school put it better than I could:

“For me, belonging is about feeling like you have a purpose within your community. I feel that I have agency here and I am not just here to learn. My favourite thing about my school is the female friendships I have developed within it and growing up within a sisterhood.”

And, of course, our young people need to see the value in what they are learning. Hearing about the impact of AI on future careers, the increased cost of living, the rising number of young people not in education, employment or training, and the cost of higher education must make the future seem very daunting to any young person. We need to ensure that our pupils are ‘world ready’ and provide them with the skills and character – as well as the knowledge – to flourish. This is why we cannot lose sight of both aspects of this report. It is not just about encouraging our young people to read and to see the value in education; it is also about ensuring that young people feel that they belong and that they are happy. Central to this are human relationships and that sense of community, that group of people with whom you feel you belong. It is not about prioritising academic excellence over happiness; it is about seeing the importance of both, inextricably linked. It is only a truly holistic education that will result in success, both personally and academically, and enable a world-ready young person to flourish beyond the school gates. This is what our schools do; they empower young women to know that they belong and that their voice matters.