Students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) are more likely to achieve at school if they feel a sense of belonging, regardless of whether or not they report being bullied.

This was the key finding from a research project that looked at the connection between the school experience and academic achievement of LGBT students led by Dr John Fenaughty (University of Auckland). The research also showed that these students are more resistant to the negative effects of bullying on achievement than their heterosexual peers.

“We presumed that the high levels of bullying reported by this group would impact achievement, but we now know that if they’re at a supportive school, ideally one with high teacher expectations, this minimises the impact,” says John.

Read the full paper here and hear John discuss the findings on RNZ.