Influence of Classroom Climate on Academic Performance: Evidence from Urban Upper Primary Schools in Ghana

Abstract

This study examines how classroom climate influences academic performance among upper primary pupils in urban public schools in Cape Coast, Ghana. Drawing on Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, it explores the predictive roles of teacher support, peer collaboration, classroom order, and learner autonomy in shaping achievement in English, Mathematics, and Science. A correlational design was employed with a stratified sample of 300 pupils from Primary 4 to 6. Data were collected using a validated Classroom Climate Scale and standardised academic records, and analysed via Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression. All four climate dimensions significantly predicted academic performance, with teacher support (r = .42) and peer collaboration (r = .38) as strongest contributors. The model explained 28% of the variance in achievement. Findings highlight the importance of relational and structural classroom factors in shaping achievement within urban schooling contexts, where overcrowding, resource disparities, and learner diversity intensify the need for supportive environments. While the study focuses on upper primary schools in Cape Coast, the findings offer tentative implications for urban secondary education, where similar dynamics of teacher support, peer collaboration, and classroom order may influence resilience and performance; however, further research is needed to confirm this transferability. These insights offer practical guidance for teacher training, curriculum design, and culturally responsive pedagogy across the broader urban education sector.