‘We do a lot of telling… and not a lot of asking’: A qualitative study of the impact of staff-student communication on teacher-student relationships and wellbeing in secondary schools

Aim(s): To examine how everyday staff-student communication shapes teacher-student relationships and mental wellbeing, and to identify communication practices that could be improved in a large inner-city UK secondary and sixth-form school. Method/Rationale: Qualitative study using focus groups with students across ages (11 to 17 years; N=28) and semi-structured interviews and focus groups with staff across teaching and support roles (N=14). Transcripts were analysed using Framework Analysis by a multidisciplinary team to compare perspectives and map convergent/divergent themes. Findings: Three themes were identified: Theme One: Negative Self-Perpetuating Breakdowns in Communication Practices (rule-first talk, not listening, sanctions; shaped by authority, workload, time); Theme Two: Breakdowns in Communication Practices Erode Relational Quality, Self-Esteem, and Trust, Leading to Disengagement & Avoidance; and Theme Three: Unlocking Positive Communication as a Lever for Culture, Connectedness and Wellbeing. Limitations: Findings may have been shaped by local context, including behaviour policy, staffing pressures, and school culture, given the single-site design (one school). Exam-year students were unable to participate, and it is possible that participants with stronger views were more likely to take part. Conclusions: Everyday communication appears to play an important role in shaping teacher-student relationships and wellbeing. Shifting from sanction-first approaches to explanatory, relational, and relational communication practices, alongside protected time for relationship-building and staff training, may help to improve school culture, reduce absences, and benefit both students and staff. Communication should be considered explicitly within whole-school wellbeing strategies.