"It helped me when..." A Q methodological study exploring pupil views regarding the factors that support a successful reintegration into mainstream education following permanent exclusion.

Existing literature surrounding the topic of ‘school exclusion’ and ‘reintegration’ has predominantly focused on the views of professionals with regard to secondary school-aged pupils. The present study was emancipatory in nature and aimed at enabling Children and Young People (CYP) to express their views and ultimately, to ‘be heard’. An eco-systemic perspective was embraced to explore the views of pupils, who had experienced permanent exclusion and placement in alternative provision, regarding the factors that had supported their successful reintegration into mainstream education. Q methodology was employed to highlight some of the strategies that pupils may have experienced as helpful during the reintegration process. Nine pupils (aged 10-16) were asked to express their viewpoint through engaging in a Q sorting exercise, which involved ranking 37 statements (representing different strategies that may support reintegration) according to personal significance (from ‘most helpful’ to ‘most unhelpful’). The overall configuration of statements was subjected to factor analysis, from which a two-factor solution was identified. This highlighted two distinct viewpoints that existed within the participant sample regarding the factors that supported successful reintegration. Aided by the use of quantitative and qualitative data, the emergent viewpoints were interpreted and a descriptive account of each was written to ‘bring the viewpoint to life’. The findings were discussed in relation to existing literature and theoretical frameworks, and the implications for practice were considered. It is hoped that the research will address the need within the literature to listen to the views of CYP regarding ‘what works’ and to employ creative and innovative research methods to encourage their active participation in research projects. Limitations of the study were acknowledged and recommendations for future research suggested.