Secondary school pupils’ experiences of managed moves: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Managed moves were conceived of as a means of giving a pupil a ‘fresh start’ in another school, often when the pupil is deemed to be at risk of permanent exclusion. Little research on managed moves has been published to date in spite of their prevalence in English and Welsh schools over the past decade. Existing research has largely focused on the views of professionals involved and there has been no published research focusing solely on the perspectives of the pupils who have had managed moves. The aim of this study was to add to the body of psychological research on managed moves through an exploration of pupil experience. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with six Year 10 and 11 pupils who had recently undergone a managed move between mainstream comprehensive schools. Interview transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). From the interview data, themes for each participant emerged. These led to the identification of four overarching themes occurring across the participant group: the self as vulnerable; the impact of support on the self; identity as a learner; and the need to belong. The findings were discussed in the context of existing literature. Implications for practice for educational psychology services and local authorities were considered, particularly to consider how schools can be supported in understanding factors that may impact on pupils experiencing managed moves and helped to support pupils throughout the process.