A narrative exploration of the experiences of children and young people who have returned to mainstream education following permanent exclusion

Taylor, Jack William (2024). A narrative exploration of the experiences of children and young people who have returned to mainstream education following permanent exclusion. University of Birmingham. Ap.Ed.&ChildPsy.D.

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Abstract

Many children and young people experience permanent exclusion from school, for a number of reasons. The practice of permanently excluding pupils is associated with a number of negative outcomes and disproportionately affects minority groups and pupil views regarding this practice have been widely sought. Some children and young people who are permanently excluded are subsequently reintegrated to mainstream education, meaning they join a new school, usually following time spent attending an alternative provision setting. Whilst previous research has also sought to explore the views of reintegrated children and young people regarding their reintegration, there has been less focus on how children and young people experience the overall journey from permanent exclusion to reintegration.

In this study, participants who had experienced a reintegration to mainstream education following permanent exclusion from school were recruited and semi-structured interviews were used to explore their stories. Narrative inquiry was employed in order to capture the meaning that participants gave to their experiences through their educational journeys.

Key themes within each participant’s narrative were generated, highlighting the experiences they deemed to be most significant in their stories and the meaning they gave to these experiences. The study also explored how reintegrated young people construct a ‘successful’ reintegration to mainstream education and what factors they perceive to support them in achieving this, as well as how the journey from permanent exclusion to reintegration affected their perceptions of their futures.

The findings of this study provide rich insight into the unique Iens and perceptions of young people who have reintegrated to mainstream education following permanent exclusion. These findings are discussed in the context of previous literature and are used to inform a consideration of the implications for the practice of professionals who work with excluded and reintegrating children and young people, including school staff and educational psychologists.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ap.Ed.&ChildPsy.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ap.Ed.&ChildPsy.D.

Supervisor(s):