Trends in student perceptions of school connectedness from 2001 to 2024: Context before and immediately after the implementation of the Whole School Approach to emotional and mental wellbeing in Wales

Background School connectedness is an important protective factor for young people’s mental health, however, there is an absence of analyses exploring how it has changed over time in primary and secondary schools. This is considered here in the context of the introduction of the Welsh Government Framework for Embedding a Whole School Approach to Emotional and Mental Wellbeing. Methods Time trends analysis of six measures of school connectedness was undertaken using data from a large, nationally representative primary (2019–2024; n = 26,675 students) and secondary school (2001–2023; n = 503,059 students) surveys in Wales. Multilevel models were used to explore the impact of time and demographic variables (gender, age, family affluence) on each outcome (staff-student relationships, student relationships, student involvement in decision-making, liking school, school belonging and having an adult to confide in at school). Results The analysis found significant evidence of declines in school connectedness over time in primary and secondary schools. Girls tended to have significantly better outcomes than boys in primary school, but significantly worse in secondary and this latter effect was widening over time. Family affluence effects were more pronounced in secondary schools than primary schools, and suggested having higher family affluence was typically associated with more positive perceptions of school. School connectedness tended to decline with increasing student age. There was no evidence of improvements post-introduction of the Whole School Approach. Conclusions This study offers an important, novel perspective on how school connectedness has declined over time in primary and secondary schools in Wales. It provides an important context to the introduction of statutory guidance requiring schools to introduce a whole school approach to emotional and mental wellbeing in 2021.