For students starting secondary school (ages 11–13)
Part of the Positive School Culture Project — sharing research to help students, teachers, and schools create better experiences of starting secondary school.
This post is the first in a short guide for students starting secondary school.
Starting secondary school can feel like stepping into a completely new world. The buildings are bigger. There are more teachers. The timetable changes. And suddenly you are one of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of students instead of being one of the oldest in your primary school.
Because of this, it can sometimes feel like school culture is something that already exists before you arrive — something created by teachers, rules, or traditions.
Key ideas
- School culture is not created by adults alone.
- The way students treat others, take part in lessons, and respond to challenges also helps shape what school feels like.
But research into students’ experiences of starting secondary school suggests something important: students themselves play a big role in shaping what their school feels like each day. At the same time, school can feel different for different students, especially at the start. Some may find it easier to take part, make connections, or feel confident in new situations, while others may take longer to feel settled or recognised.
When students were asked about their experiences of starting secondary school, many talked about how everyday interactions between students and teachers shaped whether school felt welcoming or uncomfortable.
School culture is not only created by policies, assemblies, or posters on walls. It is created through everyday interactions between students and teachers. Small moments matter more than people often realise, and they can be experienced differently by different students. Things that might seem small in the moment can shape how welcoming, safe, and motivating a school feels — and how students begin to understand what school is like.
For example:
When someone sits next to a student who looks unsure where to go, it helps create a culture of belonging.
When students include someone new in a game or conversation, it helps build connection.
When someone tries hard in class, even when the work is difficult, it contributes to a culture where learning matters.
When students recognise others’ efforts, ideas, or talents, it helps people feel seen and valued.
When students support each other in being themselves — whether that is through interests, humour, creativity, or opinions — it helps shape a culture where people can develop their identity.
None of these actions seem huge on their own. But when many students do them, day after day, they start to shape the atmosphere of the whole school. When these kinds of things happen regularly, they help create a school where people feel they belong, where learning feels worthwhile, and where students and teachers can trust each other.
This does not mean students are responsible for everything that happens in school. Teachers, leaders, and school rules still play an important role in shaping how schools work. Students are not expected to fix problems that adults should solve.
But students are also not powerless. The choices students make — how they treat others, how they approach learning, and whether they include people around them — influence the experience of school for everyone. These experiences can develop at different speeds for different students, and it is normal for some people to feel more comfortable or involved sooner than others.
These moments can feel quite different depending on who you are and what you are still working out. This is one reason why school can feel different for different students, especially at the start.
In other words, school culture is not something that only adults create. It is something that people build together, day by day.
Every conversation, every act of kindness, every moment of effort, and every time someone chooses to include another person helps shape what school becomes.
So as you start secondary school, remember this:
You are not just joining your school.
Through the way you treat others, the effort you bring to learning, and the space you make for people around you, you help shape the kind of place your school becomes.
And when many students and adults make those choices together, school can become a place where people feel they belong, where they feel recognised, and where they can grow into who they are becoming.
In small ways, every day, students help shape what school becomes.
Comments are not enabled on this page. This is to help keep this space safe for students. The ideas shared here are based on research with students, and your experiences matter. If something here connects with you, you might choose to talk about it with a teacher, parent, carer, or someone you trust.
The Starting Secondary School Guide:
- You Shape School More Than You Think
-
Why Belonging Is Not Just About Having Friends
-
What If You Don’t Feel Like You Fit In (Yet)
-
Why Some Lessons Feel Easier to Speak In
-
Why Schools Have Rules — And Why They Sometimes Feel Hard
-
Why School Feels Different For Different People