Research by Morris, T. T., Dorling, D., Davies, N. M., & Davey Smith, G. (2021). Associations between school enjoyment at age 6 and later educational achievement: Evidence from a UK cohort study. Npj Science of Learning, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-021-00092-w 

Written by Robin N. Fatovic M.S. 

Must kids like school to succeed in academics? Epidemiology researchers reviewed survey data from over 12,000 6-year-olds in the United Kingdom through the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children to find any connections between school enjoyment and achievement. 

Results? Girls were twice as likely to enjoy school than boys in this sample. Children reported more enjoyment in school when they felt more confident, had greater cognitive ability, and had friendlier personalities. Kids who had strong relationships with their teachers were 9 times more likely to enjoy school. When considering different factors that could impact achievement, children who enjoyed school at age 6 scored on average almost 15 points higher on standardized tests at age 16 than those who didn't.