Abstract
Despite the well-documented short and long-term consequences of school exclusion, national data shows that thousands of learners continue to be excluded in England each year, particularly from mainstream secondary schools. While much of the reviewed literature focused on permanent exclusions, this study explored the experiences of young people who had experienced suspension but remained in their setting, aiming to identify the factors that had supported their continued engagement with education.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five previously suspended learners attending a mainstream secondary school in Southwest England. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, three Group Experiential Themes were created: Searching for School Belonging, A Sense of School Injustice, and The Unseen Support. Collectively, these themes reflected participants’ relationships within school, their learning experiences, and the challenges caused by behaviour policies and rigid rules. Participants described feeling misunderstood and unsupported in managing their school difficulties, yet their accounts revealed subtle yet meaningful factors that helped prevent further exclusion – including supportive adult relationships, peer connections, curriculum choice, and future-oriented learning that granted education a sense of purpose. Findings were interpreted through Self-Determination Theory, Lundy’s model of participation, and adolescent identity development. Considerations for practice for secondary schools and Educational Psychology Services were considered, specifically related to promoting positive relationships, student engagement in decision-making, effective reintegration support, and appropriate identification of the needs underlying exclusionary behaviours.