Why SEL is so important

The benefits of social and emotional learning are well-researched, SEL has a positive impact on a child’s emotional wellbeing, sense of belonging, academic performance and helps children develop the skills needed for life and to become successful adult citizens.¹

SEL intervention programmes have led to significant improvement in children’s social and emotional skills and their attitudes about themselves and their school. They are also associated with significant improvements in prosocial behaviours, and a reduction in emotional distress; anxiety, depression or stress.

Hamish & Milo ACEs Feeling of belonging in school

A well implemented, SEL can have positive impacts on a range of outcomes, including:²

  1. Improved social and emotional skills
  2. Improved academic performance
  3. Improved attitudes, behaviour and relationships with peers
  4. Reduced emotional distress (depression, anxiety, stress and social withdrawal)
  5. Improved attendance and reduced levels of bullying
  6. Reduced conduct problems
  7. Improved school connection

Advances in neuroscience imply developing SEL skills early can have long-term academic benefits on children’s reading and vocabulary, one study found that children who participated in SEL programme’s improved achievement levels by an average of 11 percentile points compared to those who did not participate in SEL programme’s (Durlak et al., 2011) including those in high poverty schools, suggesting that SEL can contribute to reducing the long-standing attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers.

Social and emotional skills are protective factors for mental health. A lack of social, emotional learning can lead to long-term effects in adult life such as low self-esteem and a lack of self-awareness, behavioural problems and poor decision-making, poor mental health such as depression and anxiety, difficulties managing emotions and relationships, future employment.

“The evidence suggests that how SEL is adopted and embedded really matters for children’s outcomes.”

Sir Kevan Collins, Chief Executive, Education Endowment Foundation

Children’s academic learning improved

¹ Durlak, J.A., iiiWeissberg, R.P., Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D., & Schellinger, K.B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82, 474–501.
² Improving Social and Emotional Learning in Primary Schools https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/primary-sel