Promoting effective transitions: Primary school social–emotional competencies predict secondary school reading and numeracy achievement

Emma Carpendale; Melissa Green; Sonia L. J. White; Kate E Williams; Stacy Tzoumakis; Oliver J Watkeys; Felicity Harris; Kirstie O'Hare; Vaughan J Carr; Kristin R Laurens

doi:10.1111/bjep.12735

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Promoting effective transitions: Primary school social–emotional competencies predict secondary school reading and numeracy achievement

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Promoting effective transitions: Primary school social–emotional competencies predict secondary school reading and numeracy achievement

Emma Carpendale, Melissa Green, Sonia L. J. White, Kate E Williams, Stacy Tzoumakis, Oliver J Watkeys, Felicity Harris, Kirstie O'Hare, Vaughan J Carr and Kristin R Laurens

British Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol.95(2), pp.496-512

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12735

PMID: 39821076

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Abstract

academic achievement

Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning

middle childhood

school success

social-emotional learning

student wellbeing

Background The transition from primary to secondary school presents a challenging developmental milestone which often marks a decline in academic performance. Social–emotional skills are recognized as fundamental to academic success but longitudinal research is needed to determine the extent of their association over this transition period. Aim This study sought to determine the association between self-reported social–emotional competencies of students in their final year of primary school (Year 6; age ~11 years) and reading and numeracy performance in their first year of secondary school (Year 7; age ~12 years). Sample The study used a large Australian sample (n = 23,865), drawn from the New South Wales Child Development Study population cohort. Methods The Middle Childhood Survey–Social–Emotional Learning assessment, administered during Year 6, comprises the five competencies defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL): Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills and Responsible Decision-Making. These data were linked with students' Year 7 reading and numeracy scores from the standardized National Assessment Program–Literacy and Numeracy measure. Associations were examined in multi-level structural equation models which accounted for prior (Year 5) academic achievement and sociodemographic covariates. Multi-group analyses explored invariance across girls and boys. Results Self-Awareness and Self-Management demonstrated significant and meaningful positive relationships with reading and numeracy performance. Associations with reading were invariant by sex but boys demonstrated significantly stronger associations than girls on numeracy. Conclusion Findings suggest that bolstering primary school students' intrapersonal social–emotional competencies may safeguard their academic achievement over the transition into secondary school.

Details

Title: Promoting effective transitions: Primary school social–emotional competencies predict secondary school reading and numeracy achievement
Authors: Emma Carpendale - Queensland University of Technology
Melissa Green - UNSW Sydney
Sonia L. J. White - Queensland University of Technology
Kate E Williams - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Education and Tertiary Access
Stacy Tzoumakis - Griffith University
Oliver J Watkeys - UNSW Sydney
Felicity Harris - UNSW Sydney
Kirstie O'Hare - UNSW Sydney
Vaughan J Carr - UNSW Sydney
Kristin R Laurens (Corresponding Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Publication details: British Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol.95(2), pp.496-512
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Date published: 2025
DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12735
ISSN: 2044-8279; 0007-0998
PMID: 39821076
Copyright note: © 2025 The Author(s). British Journal of Educational Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Data Availability: Privacy legislation and ethical restrictions placed on the use of de-identified multi-agency linked government data limit access to the study data, which cannot be made publicly available. Collaborative research activities may be possible depending on scope and resources.
Grants: The role of social-emotional learning in attaining literacy and numeracy, FT170100294, Australian Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - ARC
Gender differences in the prevention of youth victimisation and offending, DE210100113, Australian Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - ARC
Identifying new targets for primary school mental health interventions using population data, 1058652, National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - NHMRC
Developmental schizotypy in the general population: Early risk factors and predictive utility, 1148055, National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - NHMRC
Grant note: This research was conducted by the University of New South Wales with financial support from the Department of Health and Aged Care Medical Research Future Fund Million Minds Mental Health Grant (APP2006436). E.J.C. was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Stipend scholarship and a Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Health Excellence Top-Up scholarship.
Organisation Unit: School of Education and Tertiary Access
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991095346002621
Output Type: Journal article

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