The active ingredients of belonging

by Matt Bromley

On a recent trip to York I ventured into the Poetry Pharmacy, an intriguing new shop on Coney Street. Its premise is simple yet profound: rather than prescribing pills to alleviate ailments, they dispense verse. As well as traditional volumes of poetry, there are rows of pill bottles containing lines from poems rolled up into capsules. The jars have titles like “Hope”, “Love”, and “Joy”. But the one that caught my eye was labelled “A Sense of Belonging”. It got me wondering what the active ingredients of such a medicine would be – what components compound to create a sense of belonging?

It’s a pertinent question because, during my trip in York, I grabbed a coffee and read the paper whilst my wife went clothes shopping. I read two articles claiming schools were failing disadvantaged pupils. The first cited an independent inquiry which had concluded that schools need to do more to help white working-class students, claiming this group has become the lowest-performing large demographic in the country and requires urgent, systemic support.

The figures are indeed sobering. Just 36 per cent of white pupils eligible for free school meals achieve at least a grade 4 in English and maths GCSEs, compared with 72 per cent of their non-disadvantaged peers. The inquiry insists this is not simply an issue of ethnicity, but one of entrenched poverty, place, and opportunity.

Its recommendations extend well beyond schools. They include better access to early years education, stronger partnerships with families, improved mental health support, more extracurricular opportunities, expanded apprenticeships, and free local transport for young people. High-performing schools should also do more to admit disadvantaged pupils from white working-class backgrounds.

These proposals recognise that schools cannot solve social inequality alone. Teachers can transform lives, but they cannot compensate indefinitely for the effects of deprivation without wider government support and societal reform.

The second article cited new figures revealing that around a third of disadvantaged white pupils in England are reading below the expected level for their age. A child who cannot read well by the time they leave primary school is not only facing an academic setback; they’re being denied access to almost everything education promises: confidence, independence, opportunity, and a fair chance in life.

Reading is the foundation on which the curriculum is built. Without strong literacy skills, pupils struggle not only in English but in science, history, maths, and beyond. The consequences are felt long after leaving the classroom, too; they shape future employment prospects, earnings, and wellbeing.

Too often, debates about educational inequality become arguments about identity or politics. But the reality is more straightforward: disadvantage, wherever it is found, limits life chances. A child’s postcode, family income or background should never determine their destiny.

Schools have a vital role to play. High-quality phonics teaching, targeted intervention, skilled teachers, and a culture of reading can transform outcomes. But schools cannot tackle poverty alone. They need sustained support from government, communities and families.

The question is not whether these children can succeed. They can. The question is whether we are prepared to give them the conditions they need to do so.

And it’s not about pitting one demographic against another – I’ve written in this column before about the small effect ethnicity has on pupil outcomes when we account for socio-economic context and SEND. Rather, it’s about ensuring every child is given the chance to succeed.

And fundamental to all this is belonging – ensuring every child, regardless of ethnicity, social class, starting point, and need, is seen and heard and valued and respected, and is able to participate fully in school life – its social and emotional environment as much as its academic one – and is prepared for participation adult life, too.

This is an extended version of an article written for The Yorkshire Post.

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So, here’s my idea for the side of that pill bottle…

If it were written like the label on a bottle of medicine, it might look something like this:

BELONGING: Active Ingredients (per daily school experience)

Unconditional Welcome (25 mg)
The consistent message: You are seen and heard here. You matter here.
Psychological Safety (20 mg)
Freedom to ask, make mistakes, disagree, and be oneself without fear of ridicule or exclusion.
Trusted Adult Relationships (20 mg)
At least one adult who knows the young person well, notices when they are absent or behaving differently, and advocates for them.
Genuine Recognition (15 mg)
Being known beyond attainment – strengths, interests, culture, identity, humour, and aspirations.
Respect and Dignity (15 mg)
Everyday interactions that communicate: Your voice, identity, and experiences deserve our respect.
Voice and Influence (15 mg)
Opportunities to contribute ideas and see that those ideas can make a difference.
Meaningful Participation (15 mg)
Real roles, responsibilities, clubs, teams, performances, projects, and leadership – not simply being in the building.
Peer Connection (15 mg)
Friendships, acceptance, cooperation, and opportunities to build positive social networks.
Fairness and Equity (12 mg)
Rules applied consistently while recognising different needs require different approaches and different kinds of support.
Inclusion (12 mg)
Difference is celebrated rather than merely accepted. No one is expected to leave part of themselves at the school gate.
Competence and Success (10 mg)
Frequent experiences of “I can do this,” supported by high expectations and appropriate challenge.
Agency and Autonomy (10 mg)
Choice, ownership, and opportunities to shape one’s learning and school experience.
Consistency and Predictability (8 mg)
Reliable routines and responses that build trust rather than uncertainty.
Shared Purpose (8 mg)
Feeling part of something bigger – a community working towards common goals.
Celebration and Appreciation (5 mg)
Regular acknowledgement of effort, kindness, growth, contribution, and achievement in all its forms.

Inactive Ingredients (but essential for effectiveness)

Everyday greetings by name.
Smiles and eye contact.
Listening without rushing to fix.
Curiosity instead of judgment.
Inclusive language.
Representation in curriculum design and delivery, displays, and resources.
Restorative conversations after conflict – seeking to repair and resolve not simply sanction.
Opportunities to laugh together and grow together.

Directions for Use

Administer consistently, not occasionally. Best taken through thousands of ordinary interactions rather than occasional special events.

Clinical Mechanism of Action

Belonging works by helping young people answer four fundamental questions:

Am I seen? (My identity and strengths are recognised.)
Am I heard? (My thoughts and feelings are listened to and can influence what happens.)
Am I valued? (People believe I matter regardless of my performance.)
Can I contribute? (I have meaningful opportunities to participate and make a difference.)

When these questions are answered positively over time, pupils are more likely to engage, attend, persevere, form healthy relationships, and flourish academically and emotionally.

The most important insight is that belonging is not a feeling that schools can simply give. Rather, it is an experience that emerges when certain conditions are reliably present.

Together, these ingredients transform a school from a place a young person attends into a community of which they feel they are an integral, indispensable part.