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Parents in Greater Manchester say friendship is one of school’s most valuable lessons

It’s been revealed thanks to new research by the Department of Education

Daisy Jackson - 15th April 2026

Some of the most valuable lessons that children learn in school are friendship and confidence, Greater Manchester parents have revealed. 

It’s been revealed thanks to new research conducted by the Department for Education.

The data has found that 82% of local parents believe school has improved their child’s confidence, with a similar number (79%) believing that the social skills developed at school have also positively influenced behavior at home. 

Parents also say that making friends is one of school’s most valuable lessons, with more than four in five (83%) saying that child’s school friendships extend beyond the classroom. This is helping to boost confidence and a sense of belonging for young people. 

Reflecting on their own early years, more than two thirds (69%) of parents in Greater Manchester said their school years were the best years of their lives, and two thirds (66%) are still in touch with friends from school.

The Department for Education has found that 88% of parents believe children learn valuable social skills at school, well beyond traditional subjects and education. 

The top five lessons gained at school are, according to parents, making friends (52%), confidence (50%), teamwork (48%), respect (42%) and problem solving (40%). 

But school absence can really impact a child’s opportunity to learn and develop these social skills and life lessons, making the transition from school to the rest of life more difficult. 

Which is why five high-performing schools in Greater Manchester have been selected by the Department for Education to run Attendance and Behaviour hubs. 

These are networks of schools that will share effective practice on attendance and behavior through collaboration, supporting thousands of children and families by working with other schools in the area to identify absence early, build strong routines, and create positive environments. 

It’s hoped that this support-first approach will help schools to understand the barriers that stop children from attending school, and put plans in place to help overcome them. 

The five local schools running Attendance and Behaviour Hubs will be among 93 hub schools nationally, which have capacity to support more than 3000 schools each year. 

Kersty, a local parent in Greater Manchester, said: ”My daughter really struggled with anxiety and wasn’t able to go to school for a while. 

“We got in touch with our local council attendance support team who were so supportive and they directed me to an attendance course to help support my child’s return to school. 

“We take things one day at a time and she’s now starting to settle into the school routine, speak to other children, and make friends.

“From my experience, I’ve found that school is about a lot more than just classes, it’s where children gain important social skills. They learn how to make friends, sort out the little fallouts, and feel like they’re part of something.”

Other curriculum reforms coming into action from September 2028 will include an expanded curriculum with more focus on areas like arts, sport, digital skills and financial literacy. 

Children will have more regular opportunities for enrichment activities like sport, arts, outdoor learning and community activities. 

Schools will also provide clearer information about progress, behaviour and at-home support for parents, plus will identify learning or wellbeing issues to provide earlier support for children who struggle. 

And mainstream schools will improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) so more pupils can succeed alongside their peers. 

To find out more about the hubs and the government’s wider reforms to support belonging at school, head HERE.

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