The impact of school experiences on students’ sense of justice: An international study of student voice

This paper is based on a survey of 13,000 grade 9 students in five European countries. Using logistic regression analysis, it attempts to relate their aspirations, sense of justice, and trust in others, to their family backgrounds and experiences of schooling. Robust models emerge for the indicators of each of these three outcomes. Once individual student background is accounted for, parental involvement in education is no longer a relevant predictor. Students’ reported treatment at the hands of other students and teachers at school, and the mix of student intake to their school, are the key predictors of adopting values such as tolerance of others. Schools with mixed intakes in terms of parental occupation, education, and country of origin have more aspirant and tolerant students, once the individual student background is factored in. This has implications for policy-makers. Schools in which students are treated with respect by teachers and other students have more trusting and generous students. This has implications for practitioners and practitioner bodies.