Almost all 13-year-olds had made the transition to second-level education and were broadly positive about their school. However, important gender and social background differences had emerged in relation to school engagement. Boys had more negative attitudes to school, and were more likely to misbehave at school and to experience negative interactions with their teachers than girls.

Those 13-year-olds from professional/managerial, high-income and highly educated households had more positive interaction with teachers, lower levels of misbehaviour and more positive attitudes to school.

These gender and social background differences are of policy concern, given the importance of school engagement for longer-term achievement and retention.