Beyond the curriculum: what role do non-curricular activities play in student engagement?

INTRODUCTION. This article analyses the role that non-curricular activities play in the school engagement of young people with different socio-demographic profiles, taking into account the role of schools. METHOD. A hierarchical linear analysis model has been used to measure the differences between schools, controlling the individual characteristics of the students from the data of a survey carried out among 2.056 students who were in their 10th year of schooling in 27 schools based in Barcelona. Four models are examined in the analysis: firstly, sociodemographic variables are introduced, then non-curricular activities carried out by young people both within and outside the high school, and finally centre variables. RESULTS. The results show that non-curricular activities act as mediators of the family educational level in explaining emotional and cognitive engagement -not behavioural engagement-, and sex and origin remain influential. Finally, the level of participation within centers appears to be significant only for behavioral engagement, mediating the effect of the complexity and comprehensiveness of the center. DISCUSSION. Based on the results obtained, it is possible to deepen the debate on the importance of non-curricular activities for the school engagement of young people, as well as the role that schools have in promoting the school involvement of their students.