Creating inclusive schools: a self-review tool for educational practitioners

Abstract

This study explored the schooling experiences of secondary-aged pupils with and without SEND attending three mainstream schools in England. Thirty-seven young adolescents with SEND and eight without agreed to be interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed the challenges these young adolescents with SEND encountered to feel included in their schools and light is shed on their perspectives of what an inclusive school should be. Of significance contributing to pupils' positive or negative feelings about school and their feelings of being included or excluded were: their perceptions of the implementation of approaches to behaviour management; their perceptions of the equitable allocation of teacher support and/or teacher attention; relations with their teachers; whether they found their lessons engaging or ‘boring’; and the extent to which they perceived their voices were heard and subsequently, acted upon. The findings of the study are discussed with reference to Farrell's model of inclusion and an elaboration of the model is proposed as a self-review tool to be used by educational practitioners as an aid to facilitate their inclusion in mainstream provision.