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Gill, Victoria (2024) An Appreciative Inquiry in a Mainstream Secondary School Into What is Perceived to Foster School Belonging for Pupils who Have Experienced School Suspension. DAppEdPsy thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

School exclusion continues to be a common practice in England, with rates of suspensions rising every academic year. National data reports pupils in mainstream secondary schools as receiving the highest numbers of suspensions. Being suspended from school has been associated with negative outcomes such as feeling socially isolated from peers and staff. Conversely, school belonging has been defined as the feeling of being supported and accepted within school. Research suggests that a sense of belonging might serve as a protective factor against suspension, as it helps pupils to feel safe and valued within school.

Using an Appreciative Inquiry methodology, this study aimed to explore what factors contribute to school belonging for pupils who have experienced suspension but remain at their mainstream secondary setting. Gaining the voices of this often-marginalised pupil population was integral to the study. Pupils and staff from a mainstream secondary school took part in this action research, providing their views which informed an action plan to be implemented in the school. Facilitating factors identified by participants included relationships which encouraged power-sharing, explicit encouragement from others, and support with learning following absence from lessons. Although an action plan was created, following an 8-week review, no actions had been completed due to changes within the school system. This suggests the complexity of secondary school systems and the potential barriers to implementing change to support inclusion for all pupils. Implications for practice are discussed, with consideration of local authorities and policy makers, and their involvement in creating environments which support all pupils to experience school belonging, as well as the role of Educational Psychologists, to continue to promote inclusion and the valuing of pupil voices.

Item Type:	Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (DAppEdPsy)
Supervisors:	House, Marie
Keywords:	secondary education, student suspension, student exclusion, school discipline
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1050 Educational psychology L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1603 Secondary education. High schools L Education > LC Special aspects of education > LC1390 Education of special classes of persons
Faculties/Schools:	UK Campuses > Faculty of Science > School of Psychology
Item ID:	78797
Depositing User:	Gill, Victoria
Date Deposited:	13 Dec 2024 04:40
Last Modified:	13 Dec 2024 04:40
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/78797

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