‘They won’t let me back.’ Comparing student perceptions across primary and secondary Pupil Referral Units (PRUs)

Concerns have been expressed about the long term inclusion of students with social, emotional and mental health difficulties in mainstream education. Often, this results in continuous referrals with alternative provision. Whilst student views have been explored, there has been a lack of research focusing on perspectives within Primary education. The study aimed to examine whether student views change across Primary and Secondary education. A qualitative design and phenomenological investigation were followed. Through purposive sampling, a total of 13 semi-structured interviews were conducted with students aged 7–16 years from 3 Pupil Referral Units. Using phenomenological data analysis, findings reflect stability in external attributions and supportive factors. However, views about reintegration contrasted with Secondary students expressing low self-worth. Findings highlight mutual perspectives, with conclusions indicating that alternative provision may exacerbate mental health difficulties. Implications include the use of cognitive behavioural frameworks as well as improving shared responsibility between education providers.