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What do teachers in a Pupil Referral Unit value most in supporting the development of pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties?

Abstract

Every child in the UK is entitled to a good education.  Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) exist to cater for those children deemed unable to attend mainstream schools, largely for behavioural reasons.  The expectations that government, OFSTED, parents and pupils have of PRUs have been well reported. Rarely, however, have teachers in PRUs been asked for their views on what does and does not work in supporting pupils towards successful outcomes.  My doctoral research aims to do precisely that; through face-to-face interviews and questionnaires, nine teachers, with a combined teaching experience of 112 years, were asked for their experiences and opinions.  Ongoing analysis of the data suggests that practical activities, a focus on literacy and the correct identification of need prior to the allocation of a PRU placement are all regarded as important by PRU teachers. Significant here is the apparent over-representation in the PRU population of students with unmet Special Educational Needs.  Through this reflection on my research so far, I consider why this is an area I judge important to explore and how its importance is perhaps not recognised outside the sector itself.    

 

Keywords

Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), Alternative Provision (AP), Mainstream school, Special school, Success, Teacher perception, Mainstream

How to Cite

O'Sullivan, P., (2024) “What do teachers in a Pupil Referral Unit value most in supporting the development of pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties?”, Fields: journal of Huddersfield student research 2(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.5920/fields.1444

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Authors

Paul O'Sullivan (University of Huddersfield)

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This article has been peer reviewed.

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