IPA study into experiences of school exclusion
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis into the school exclusion experiences of prisoners with Language Impairment.
IRAS ID
340007
Contact name
Sarah Wall
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
Research Summary
School exclusion is a common experience for prisoners in the UK; 63% report being temporarily excluded from school and 42% report being permanently excluded (MoJ, 2012). Despite this, the voices of individuals who have lived experience of school exclusion and offending are missing from the literature. This is further complicated by the high rates of Language Impairment (LI) in both children excluded from school (60%; Clegg et al., 2009) and in prisoners (50%; Morken, Jones and Helland, 2021).
This study aims to explore how young adult prisoners with Language Impairment (LI) make sense of their experiences of school exclusion and how this relates to their offending behaviour. I aim to contribute to the understanding of school exclusion as a criminological risk factor by focusing on the perspectives of individuals who have experienced a trajectory including exclusion and offending.
Research questions:
• How do prisoners with LI make sense of their experience of school exclusion?
• How do prisoners with LI understand their trajectory into offending?
An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis methodology will be used to explore prisoner's lived experience of school exclusion and offending. Data will be generated from in depth, semi-structured 1:1 interviews with 5 individuals.
The sample will be purposively selected from referrals to me (Speech and Language Therapist at HMP Deerbolt) by my colleagues in the prison Mental Health Team. Participants will be approached for inclusion in the study if they have identified LI, have experienced school exclusion and are aged between 18 and 25.Clegg, J., Stackhouse, J., Finch, K., Murphy, C. and Nicholls, S., (2009). Language abilities of secondary age pupils at risk of school exclusion: A preliminary report. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 25(1), pp.123-139.
Ministry of Justice (2012) Prisoners childhood and family backgrounds. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/278837/prisoners-childhood-family-backgrounds.pdf [accessed on 10th June 2023]
Morken, F., Jones, L.Ø., and Helland, W.A. (2021). Disorders of Language and Literacy in the Prison Population: A Scoping Review. Education Sciences. 11, 77. https://doi.org/10.3390/ educsci11020077
Summary of Results
This study sought to understand the lived experience of school exclusion from the perspective of young adult prisoners with Language Impairment.3 male category C prisoners aged 18-21 participated in semi-structured interviews, which were then analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis highlighted 4 main themes in the relationship between school exclusion and offending from the perspective of young adult prisoners with Language Impairment. Each of the main themes had subthemes.
1. A lack of inclusion.
a) Not fitting in in school.
b) Lack of inclusion impacts learning and wellbeing.
c) Behaviour in school is a response to the environment.
d) Schools fail to reinforce our strengths.2. School discipline processes are ineffective and harmful.
a) School discipline processes don’t change behaviour or prevent exclusion.
b) School discipline processes cause harm through racial bias.3. Antisocial behaviour is a functional group activity.
a) Disruptive and antisocial behaviour is a fun group experience.
b) Offending and anti-social behaviour fulfilling a need (belonging, escape, excitement)4. Interaction between home, school and community factors. a) Interaction between home, school and community systems.
b) Cannabis as a turning point, with influence across systems.The study findings support the existing literature on how school exclusion is experienced, adding the views of prisoners with Language Impairment to those of school-aged children and caregivers. School was perceived as a negative, excluding environment for this group of young adults, and permanent exclusion was experienced as positive for some within this context. Disruptive behaviour in school was seen as a response to the environment, and antisocial behaviour in a broader sense was experienced as a source of bonding and fun.
The participants’ experiences of permanent exclusion and offending behaviour can be understood through the lens of Catalano and Hawkins Social Development Model (1996). This perspective suggests that permanent exclusion is not directly causative of offending behaviour and/or drug use, but that it functions as a significant route onto the antisocial path via removal of prosocial influence or reinforcement of antisocial actions.REC name
Wales REC 4
REC reference
24/WA/0084
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jun 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion