The DfE’s newly published report, School Belonging and Attainment at Key Stage 4: Linked Data Study, has added an important piece to the conversation about wellbeing, attainment and school culture, finding that pupils with a stronger sense of belonging at school had significantly higher attainment.

Even after accounting for prior attainment, demographics and bullying, pupils with a stronger sense of belonging achieve higher Attainment 8 scores. The gap between pupils who strongly agree that they belong at school and those who strongly disagree is equivalent to around a full GCSE grade across eight subjects.

The findings are important, but they also raise a practical question.

The answer may begin with something more fundamental: access.

Belonging is often discussed as an emotional state, but before pupils can feel that they belong, they must be able to participate. They need to understand what is being discussed, contribute their own ideas, engage with learning and communicate with confidence. In other words, they need access to the language of the classroom, the curriculum, and the wider school community.

At Bedrock, we believe literacy is best understood through this lens. Literacy is not simply about reading attainment. It is about ensuring that every learner has the vocabulary, knowledge and communication skills needed to access learning and take part in it successfully.

Language sits at the heart of inclusion because language makes participation possible.

When pupils understand the language of a subject, they can engage with its concepts. When they possess the vocabulary needed to articulate their thinking, they can contribute to discussion. When they can translate their understanding onto the page, they can demonstrate what they know.

These are not peripheral skills. They are the foundation of educational participation.

This connection between language and belonging matters because the DfE report reinforces something many schools already recognise: wellbeing and attainment are not competing priorities. Rather, they reinforce one another

One useful framework for understanding why is Martin Seligman's PERMA model of wellbeing. PERMA proposes that human flourishing is built on five core elements: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment. Educators will recognise each of these dimensions as essential components of a thriving school community.

Students experience engagement when they can access challenging learning and contribute successfully to it. They develop stronger relationships when they can communicate confidently with peers and teachers. They find greater meaning when they understand how they fit within a learning community and connect with the ideas being explored. And they experience a sense of accomplishment when they can demonstrate knowledge, express understanding and achieve success.

Language is the thread that connects all of these experiences.

Without the vocabulary to understand curriculum content, participate in discussion or communicate ideas effectively, pupils can find themselves excluded from the very experiences that contribute to wellbeing and belonging. Access to language is therefore not simply an academic concern. It is a matter of inclusion.

When students develop the vocabulary and background knowledge needed to navigate increasingly complex curriculum content, they become more confident participants in school life. They can contribute more effectively, experience greater success and feel more connected to the communities around them.

In this sense, literacy is not just about reading. It is about ensuring that every learner has access to the language required to engage, belong and flourish

The latest evidence also reminds us that belonging is not experienced equally. Pupils with SEND, those eligible for free school meals and girls reported lower levels of belonging on several measures.

That should prompt an important question for schools: How can we create more equitable access to participation?

Language development is one powerful answer.

By systematically building vocabulary, knowledge and literacy skills, schools can remove barriers that prevent pupils from engaging fully with the curriculum. Access enables participation. Participation can build confidence. And confidence can help strengthen belonging.

Reading plays an important role in this process. Through reading, pupils encounter new vocabulary, deepen their knowledge, and expand their understanding of the world. However, the value of reading extends beyond the act of reading itself. Its real power lies in the access it provides: access to ideas, access to learning, and access to meaningful participation.

Therefore, the goal is not simply to create better readers. Rather, it is to develop learners who can confidently engage with the curriculum, communicate effectively, and meaningfully contribute to their school community.

Literacy is a skill that can be strengthened over time. Schools should foster a culture of continuous language growth, where expanding vocabulary, developing knowledge and improving communication become part of everyday learning.

When this happens, pupils gain far more than improved literacy. They gain the language they need to access learning, participate in their communities and feel that they belong.

Belonging does not begin with a feeling. It begins with participation. And participation begins with language.

That may be one of the most important outcomes a school can provide.

To learn more about how schools are using Bedrock to build the vocabulary, knowledge and communication skills that underpin curriculum access and belonging, read our latest impact report.

If you're interested in how your school can strengthen curriculum access, participation and belonging through language, we'd love to continue the conversation. Book a call with a member of our team to explore how schools are using Bedrock to help every learner thrive.