Permanent Exclusions: Exploring the Narratives of Primary School Pupils, Their Parents and School Staff

Abstract

Permanent exclusion from primary school is an issue of national and local concern, yet previous literature has primarily focused on secondary school experiences of school exclusion. Furthermore, research offering detailed insights into the experience of permanent exclusion from the perspectives of pupils, parents and school staff is limited. This research aimed to provide an in-depth exploration of the experience of permanent exclusion from primary school. Underpinned by values of social justice, advocacy, respect and beneficence, it is concerned with understanding the perspectives of pupils, parents and school staff as a step towards informing future change and reducing exclusion rates. This study focuses on the stories of two pupils, three parents and two members of school staff who had experienced permanent exclusion from primary school. Using a qualitative design and narrative inquiry approach, data was gathered through unstructured interviews. Participants’ narratives were ‘restoried’ according to Clandinin & Connelly’s (2000) three-dimensional space, offering rich and detailed insights into the complexity of permanent exclusion. In the second phase of analysis, the six storied narratives were analysed to explore the extent to which they were connected by shared experiences or storylines. The findings illustrate how participants’ experiences can best be understood as journeys of endurance, entailing various events, interactions and happenings over time. Participants’ narratives highlight the emotional impact of permanent exclusion from primary school, in addition to the wider impact it can have on family life. Furthermore, the findings suggest a connection between feelings of competency, agency and the conceptualisation of behaviour. Applied to eco-systemic theory, this research illustrates the complexity of permanent exclusion from primary school, and how it is experienced through interacting systems, beliefs and discourses of SEN and inclusion. The thesis concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for future research and Educational Psychology practice.