WMS is pleased to share the Civil Mediation Council’s (CMC) new national report on Peer Mediation, and we’re proud that our work has contributed to it.
This is the first research of its kind in the UK, bringing together the voices of pupils from 29 schools. The findings confirm what we see every day in our projects: peer mediation builds confidence, empathy and emotional awareness in young people, helps create calmer classrooms, and saves teachers’ valuable time.
Schools aren’t just seeing happier pupils, they’re seeing changes that make teachers’ day-to-day life easier. Out of 172 school staff that responded:
• 77% said staff spend less time sorting out conflict
• 70% noticed better empathy and understanding between pupils
• 67% reported children are more confident interacting with each other
• 64% saw better social skills across the school
• 63% said playgrounds and social spaces feel calmer
• 44% said learning gets going more quickly after break times
• 33% noticed calmer classrooms overall
CMC also asked over 450 young peer mediators how they feel since taking on the role:
• 89% said they were better at understanding other people’s feelings
• 83% felt better at seeing different points of view
• 81% felt more confident as a person
• 78% said they had become a better listener
• 77% were more accepting of people’s differences
• 74% felt more confident resolving their own conflicts
• 66% said they understood their own feelings better
• 53% felt more confident moving up to secondary school
• 52% felt more confident in their learning
These findings show that peer mediation helps young people feel more confident, more empathetic, and better able to manage tricky feelings and disagreements. Schools also report calmer environments and fewer conflicts escalating. We’re so pleased to see the impact of peer mediation recognised on a national scale. We hope this evidence will help raise the profile of peer mediation across the UK and strengthen the case for putting these life-changing skills at the heart of school life.
Why this matters
For many young people, peer mediation is the first experience of taking on a volunteering role, and a chance to practise problem-solving through dialogue rather than conflict – a foundation for healthier relationships at school, at home and into adulthood.
Read the full Peer Mediation report
You can read the full report on the Civil Mediation Council website. If your school or organisation would like to explore peer mediation, get in touch.
