In the early 2000s, a large proportion of schools with a socio-economically disadvantaged pupil intake reached at least PISA proficiency level 3 in mathematics, reading and science. This level is commonly regarded as a baseline for progression to further education.
By the mid-2010s, that proportion had declined substantially.
“We are seeing a clear decrease in the number of schools where pupils achieve good results despite socio-economic challenges. This suggests a weakening of educational equity,” says Deborah Siebecke, author of the thesis.
The study is based on Swedish PISA data from 2000 to 2018 and examines academic resilience, defined as pupils who achieve at least a basic level of performance despite socio-economic disadvantage.
Teacher support associated with higher attainment
One of the key findings is that pupils who report support from their teachers also tend to achieve higher results.
“Teacher support appears to be one of the factors associated with whether pupils succeed despite a challenging background,” says Deborah Siebecke.
Pupils who perceive their teachers as supportive and attentive are more likely to perform well. This pattern is observed both across the general student population and among pupils from less advantaged backgrounds.
Exposure to bullying, by contrast, is associated with lower academic performance. Pupils who report being bullied perform worse on average.
“These findings indicate that the school environment matters. Relationships in the classroom are not only important for well-being, but also for learning outcomes.”
Complex relationship between well-being and performance
The thesis also highlights that the relationship between pupil well-being and academic performance is complex and not always straightforward.
Pupils who report higher life satisfaction tend to achieve better results, and a certain level of positive emotions is associated with higher attainment. However, these relationships are not linear, and both very low and very high levels of emotional experience can be linked to lower performance.
In addition, negative emotions are in some analyses associated with higher achievement, while a strong sense of meaning in life is linked to slightly lower academic performance.
“There is no simple relationship where well-being automatically leads to better grades. For some pupils, a certain degree of pressure or concern may be linked to achievement, while for others it has the opposite effect,” says Deborah Siebecke.
She emphasises that academic performance and well-being should be understood as related but distinct outcomes.
“High academic achievement does not necessarily mean that everything else is functioning well. Promoting pupil well-being is important in its own right, regardless of its impact on academic results.”
Text: Ragnhild Larsson
