IDENTIFYING THE DIMENSIONS OF THE SCHOOL CLIMATE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

The school climate is a significant factor in the development of students’ cognitive, emotional and social competencies. Starting from the fact that the quality of educational work largely depends on the school climate, the aim of this research was to identify the factors influencing the development of a positive school climate, and to determine the differences in the perception of its dimensions in relation to gender and student success. The sample for this research consisted of 216 primary school students in the Republic of Serbia. An instrument composed of 43 items was used in the research. Factor analysis identified 6 factors that affect the school climate: support and consistency in the work of teachers, student autonomy, the academic support of teachers, negative peer relationships, disciplinary rigor and collaborative peer learning. The students’ perception of the dimensions of the school climate was influenced by school success and the gender of the students. This research offers a comprehensive theoretical perspective for all researchers for whom the field of school climate is at the center of interest, as well as potential solutions in terms of improvement in educational practice.