Michelle Longhurst
A mixed methods study of students’ and caregivers’ perceptions and experiences of the managed move process within a neighbouring local authority secondary school.
Managed moves are a strategy and intervention applied by schools within local authorities, as an alternative route to permanent exclusion. Exclusion from school can result in adverse long-term consequences. My presentation will explore the experiences and perceptions held by children and young people (CYP) (some of whom in the United Kingdom would be classified as having social, emotional, and mental health challenges) undertaking managed moves, and their caregivers (parent/carers). Key features of managed moves are reported alongside the potential inconsistency of their delivery between schools. Ethical considerations mainly related to the participants, whereby, they were given an opting-in invitation, pseudonyms assigned, and the right to withdraw at any time. A summary of the research purpose was shared alongside the chosen types of methodology for how evidence and data would be gathered. A mixed methods design allowed for generalisation through the comparison of external quantitative data (Freedom of Information requests) to mitigate the smaller sample size of the qualitative data, from the case studies of three participants who experienced a managed move within the research timeframe. Participants included three young people aged 12, 13 and 14 years old, their caregivers and two fair access panel members. Triangulation (staff view, young person view, caregiver view, questionnaires, and interviews) allowed for improved accuracy, reduced bias, and permitted reconciliation between strengths and weaknesses of the research strategies. Themes relating to both positive and negative aspects of communication, support, exclusion, and social challenges were investigated. My findings hold important implications for how CYP and their caregivers experience their managed moves. The Covid-19 pandemic will be highlighted as playing a part in the CYP’s social, emotional, behavioural, and mental health challenges which the participants felt may have contributed to the need for a managed move to take place. Conclusions are drawn upon, including the importance of participant voice and the need for CYP to belong in their altering environments. The implications of change are also considered, for which CYP require support, and understanding, from all the stakeholders involved.
Dr Emma Clarke
Images from the Edge: Girls’ experiences of being at risk of permanent exclusion.
Permanent exclusions (PEX) in England are a significant and growing issue, highlighted by the ‘landmark’ Timpson review (DfE, 2019). PEX rose by 300% in 2017 - 2018, and DfE statistics show for the autumn term alone of 19/20, PEX increased by 5% compared to the previous year (DfE, 2021). Although boys in England are 3x more likely to be PEX than girls, in the autumn term 19/20 girls’ exclusions grew by 7.8% compared to 4.8% for boys, in line with findings from 2014 – 2019 showing PEX for girls increased more rapidly than for boys, with year-on-year increases since 2012/13 (DfE, 2019). Girls are also more likely to experience self-exclusion, informal exclusions and ‘off-rolling’, and there have been criticisms that government policy has consistently emphasised boys’ exclusions, fostering misleading narratives that ‘girls are not a problem’ (Osler et al., 2002; Ringrose, 2007). Osler et al. (2002) warned girls were ‘an underestimated minority’ and not a priority in thinking around behaviour and exclusions twenty years ago and little investigation has been undertaken since. The paucity of research and rising number of girls being excluded formed the aims of the research - to co-create understandings of schooling for girls at-risk of permanent exclusion
The data collection methods were:
Data is still being analysed but shows girls continue to experience many of the same issues highlighted by research a decade ago. These include the importance of friendships, the impact of bullying, feeling they ‘belong’ in school and relationships with staff. This project now plans to lead on to an action research/appreciative research project in the two mainstream schools developing actions with girls and staff to develop approaches to support girls at risk.
Lynda Kay
Seeking ways to halt the exclusion train: In search of factors that contribute to effective inclusive practice for children who exhibit challenging behaviour in schools
In 2004, Leman highlighted a critical issue for educational practice in schools, in a TES editorial, that she described as the ‘…. dark heart of inclusion: every child matters, but only if they behave themselves.’ In England, this remains an enduring issue as evidenced by the high rate of exclusion of children with SEN in the Department of Education’s [DfE] exclusion statistics (DfE 2023; Timpson, 2019) with persistent disruptive behaviour and physical or verbal assaults cited as the most prevalent reasons for exclusion of a child from school.
This paper presents findings from doctoral research that investigated factors that contribute to effective inclusive pedagogical approaches for children who exhibit challenging behaviour in primary schools. The research employed a cultural-historical activity theory [CHAT] methodological framework. One phase of the data collection strategy involved teachers and children talking together in a Developmental Workshop Research Lab about learning activities; engaging them in deep reflections together on factors that children identified had positively or negatively affected their participation in learning. Visual approaches were utilised to aid language and communication.
This paper examines the crucial function played by relationships for learning that are constructed through a triadic lens of attunement, attachment and emotional security within effective inclusive practice. It considered the possibilities of school-level strategies to facilitate teachers and learners to co-construct learning experiences. A model of a pedagogical onion is proposed to support the planning of effective inclusive approaches for addressing the underlying causal factors of observed behaviours in classrooms. While this research took place in England, it aims to contribute to the wider field of research investigating inclusive approaches to eradicate the exclusion train from its persistent journey, and facilitate the successful participation of socially and emotionally vulnerable children in education.
A mixed methods study of students’ and caregivers’ perceptions and experiences of the managed move process within a neighbouring local authority secondary school.
Managed moves are a strategy and intervention applied by schools within local authorities, as an alternative route to permanent exclusion. Exclusion from school can result in adverse long-term consequences. My presentation will explore the experiences and perceptions held by children and young people (CYP) (some of whom in the United Kingdom would be classified as having social, emotional, and mental health challenges) undertaking managed moves, and their caregivers (parent/carers). Key features of managed moves are reported alongside the potential inconsistency of their delivery between schools. Ethical considerations mainly related to the participants, whereby, they were given an opting-in invitation, pseudonyms assigned, and the right to withdraw at any time. A summary of the research purpose was shared alongside the chosen types of methodology for how evidence and data would be gathered. A mixed methods design allowed for generalisation through the comparison of external quantitative data (Freedom of Information requests) to mitigate the smaller sample size of the qualitative data, from the case studies of three participants who experienced a managed move within the research timeframe. Participants included three young people aged 12, 13 and 14 years old, their caregivers and two fair access panel members. Triangulation (staff view, young person view, caregiver view, questionnaires, and interviews) allowed for improved accuracy, reduced bias, and permitted reconciliation between strengths and weaknesses of the research strategies. Themes relating to both positive and negative aspects of communication, support, exclusion, and social challenges were investigated. My findings hold important implications for how CYP and their caregivers experience their managed moves. The Covid-19 pandemic will be highlighted as playing a part in the CYP’s social, emotional, behavioural, and mental health challenges which the participants felt may have contributed to the need for a managed move to take place. Conclusions are drawn upon, including the importance of participant voice and the need for CYP to belong in their altering environments. The implications of change are also considered, for which CYP require support, and understanding, from all the stakeholders involved.
Dr Emma Clarke
Images from the Edge: Girls’ experiences of being at risk of permanent exclusion.
Permanent exclusions (PEX) in England are a significant and growing issue, highlighted by the ‘landmark’ Timpson review (DfE, 2019). PEX rose by 300% in 2017 - 2018, and DfE statistics show for the autumn term alone of 19/20, PEX increased by 5% compared to the previous year (DfE, 2021). Although boys in England are 3x more likely to be PEX than girls, in the autumn term 19/20 girls’ exclusions grew by 7.8% compared to 4.8% for boys, in line with findings from 2014 – 2019 showing PEX for girls increased more rapidly than for boys, with year-on-year increases since 2012/13 (DfE, 2019). Girls are also more likely to experience self-exclusion, informal exclusions and ‘off-rolling’, and there have been criticisms that government policy has consistently emphasised boys’ exclusions, fostering misleading narratives that ‘girls are not a problem’ (Osler et al., 2002; Ringrose, 2007). Osler et al. (2002) warned girls were ‘an underestimated minority’ and not a priority in thinking around behaviour and exclusions twenty years ago and little investigation has been undertaken since. The paucity of research and rising number of girls being excluded formed the aims of the research - to co-create understandings of schooling for girls at-risk of permanent exclusion
The data collection methods were:
- Generating an image to illustrate experiences of education
- Mapping challenges and resources on an ecomap
- Participating in a stimulated-recall interview
Data is still being analysed but shows girls continue to experience many of the same issues highlighted by research a decade ago. These include the importance of friendships, the impact of bullying, feeling they ‘belong’ in school and relationships with staff. This project now plans to lead on to an action research/appreciative research project in the two mainstream schools developing actions with girls and staff to develop approaches to support girls at risk.
Lynda Kay
Seeking ways to halt the exclusion train: In search of factors that contribute to effective inclusive practice for children who exhibit challenging behaviour in schools
In 2004, Leman highlighted a critical issue for educational practice in schools, in a TES editorial, that she described as the ‘…. dark heart of inclusion: every child matters, but only if they behave themselves.’ In England, this remains an enduring issue as evidenced by the high rate of exclusion of children with SEN in the Department of Education’s [DfE] exclusion statistics (DfE 2023; Timpson, 2019) with persistent disruptive behaviour and physical or verbal assaults cited as the most prevalent reasons for exclusion of a child from school.
This paper presents findings from doctoral research that investigated factors that contribute to effective inclusive pedagogical approaches for children who exhibit challenging behaviour in primary schools. The research employed a cultural-historical activity theory [CHAT] methodological framework. One phase of the data collection strategy involved teachers and children talking together in a Developmental Workshop Research Lab about learning activities; engaging them in deep reflections together on factors that children identified had positively or negatively affected their participation in learning. Visual approaches were utilised to aid language and communication.
This paper examines the crucial function played by relationships for learning that are constructed through a triadic lens of attunement, attachment and emotional security within effective inclusive practice. It considered the possibilities of school-level strategies to facilitate teachers and learners to co-construct learning experiences. A model of a pedagogical onion is proposed to support the planning of effective inclusive approaches for addressing the underlying causal factors of observed behaviours in classrooms. While this research took place in England, it aims to contribute to the wider field of research investigating inclusive approaches to eradicate the exclusion train from its persistent journey, and facilitate the successful participation of socially and emotionally vulnerable children in education.
