Dignity, Respect, and Meaningful Engagement with Boys in the Classroom

Despite two decades of policy attention, attainment gaps for boys eligible for FSM remain stark. Nationally, only 24% achieve a grade 9–5 in GCSE English and Maths, and gaps in progression to Higher Education are stark. The report highlights three central insights: 1. A disconnect between teacher perceptions and young men’s experiences While 90% of teachers believe they create environments grounded in dignity and respect, young men frequently describe respect as inconsistent, compliance‑driven, and transactional. 2. Misaligned definitions of respect Many educators equate respect with rule‑following; students emphasise empathy, fairness, and relational authenticity as the real markers of respect. 3. Boys don’t always feel listened to Although teachers report strong active‑listening practice, young men often experience interactions as tokenistic or focused narrowly on academic performance, rather than their broader lives, identities and pressures. These findings underline the importance of cultivating educational cultures that echo the Taking Boys Seriously relational principles: communicating to boys that they are inherently valuable and worthwhile, irrespective of their academic ability.