Why Youth Work in Schools Matters

There is no single solution. Research points to approaches that build confidence, relationships and belonging. Evidence from targeted interventions suggests that when pupils connect with peers, try new experiences and develop wider skills, the transition is smoother and disengagement reduced.

In the North East, our KEY+ Transitions programme shows this in action. Over the past year it supported 199 young people across 19 schools, who created and led 42 projects from cinema nights to outdoor challenges. The activities weren’t the point; they were a vehicle to help pupils facing the move into secondary build friendships, settle in and feel less alone. Evaluation found 95% reported greater confidence and resilience, while 93% felt it would benefit their future.

Crucially, these improvements were reported at the point of transition into secondary school -  the very stage where national research shows confidence and engagement typically fall away.

As one pupil explained: “Seeing other friends worried, just like me, helped me realise that I’m not by myself or alone and we’re all facing the same difficult problems.” - Priya, age 11.

And a Year 7 Learning Manager told us: “The project offered a safe place for students to build confidence in a new school environment. It also helped students to make friends they wouldn’t normally have the chance to meet.”

These outcomes matter because they counter the national picture. Where research highlights a dip, this evidence shows that with the right support, pupils can lift.

What makes this approach different is simple: it hands the reins to young people. Pupils aren’t passive recipients of support; they are active creators, designing and leading their own projects through a five-step challenge process.

This is the essence of youth work: creating spaces where young people are trusted, heard and empowered. In schools, that adds a vital dimension to transition support. Teachers and pastoral staff can offer guidance, but youth work brings something complementary: trust, informal conversation and the freedom to lead. It helps pupils build friendships, grow in confidence and feel they belong at a time when those things are most at risk.

That difference matters. The Year 7 dip isn’t solved by more timetables, rules or routines. It’s solved by making school feel like a place where young people want to be, because they are part of shaping it.

The Year 7 dip is real. But it is not inevitable. Research has shown the scale of the problem. Practice-based evidence is beginning to show what works. The next step is to make sure this learning is embedded and sustained.

If we are serious about tackling absence, raising attainment and improving wellbeing, transition support must be elevated as a national priority and youth work must be part of the conversation.

As one pupil put it: “I didn’t want to come into school before KEY+. Doing this has made me want to come in. I make sure I come in now.” - Riley, age 12.