<p>Wellbeing is an important factor in students’ lives that impacts their learning. It has become increasingly apparent that children and young people with a poor sense of wellbeing are more likely to disengage from and underachieve in schooling. Recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise in cyberbullying, as well as a growing awareness of the contribution of culture to wellbeing, have highlighted the importance for schools and teachers to support students’ wellbeing and socio-emotional resilience. Research into wellbeing and programmes designed to build wellbeing amongst young people has only recently begun to take account of the perspectives of young people. The research described in this article contributes to this emerging literature by reporting findings from a survey of Year 8 students and parents of Year 8 students from across Aotearoa New Zealand. While the findings suggest students generally experienced positive levels of wellbeing, there were some significant differences between students’ and adults’ ideas about what is most important for students’ wellbeing, underscoring the importance of listening to the views and experiences of young people when making decisions about education policy and practice. Students’ responses demonstrated the particular importance of relationships to this age group. We also identified particular groups of students who reported significantly different experiences of wellbeing compared to their peers’ experiences. We discuss these findings and offer some thoughts about wellbeing in the current educational climate in Aotearoa New Zealand.</p>