Pre-primary education attendance protects against peer rejection in sixth grade

Abstract Peer relationships in schools play a crucial role in children’s social and emotional development. Ethnic minority students and those with parents who have low education are especially vulnerable to negative social outcomes, such as peer rejection, which can lead to mental health problems. Pre-primary education has been hypothesized to provide early socialization opportunities that may protect against these adverse outcomes. This study examines the long-term effects of pre-primary education on peer relationships in sixth grade using a stratified random sample of 2,397 sixth-grade students from the Czech Republic. The findings reveal that students who attended pre-primary education for more than one year, are less rejected compared to those who did not attend. Ethnic minority students and those with parents without higher education are identified as more prone to peer rejection, underscoring the challenges these groups face in school. Importantly, this study shows that pre-primary education provides some protective effect against peer rejection for these vulnerable groups. The study highlights the need for policies supporting universal access to high-quality pre-primary education, especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.