I’m still learning: perspectives on returning to education among early school leavers

ABSTRACT

In recent decades, it has become the case that leaving school early may no longer be the conclusion of one’s educational experiences, with more alternative educational spaces for disenfranchised learners becoming accessible. This qualitative study examines the experiences of 14 young adults in Ireland who, having left their mainstream school prior to receiving a higher secondary qualification, returned to education through an alternative facility called Youthreach. Findings indicated that participants made a distinction between a general appreciation for education, reflective of their aspirational identities, and their feelings towards the specific educational environments they have encountered. A meaningful engagement occurred when their educational aspirations appeared obtainable within the context of a particular setting. Consequently, participants did not reflect on their initial decision to leave as a mistake, as they found that their unsupportive environments provided them with little space to succeed. As a result, participants presented their decision to leave as a sensible response in accordance with what they deemed to be the right course of action for their own development.

KEYWORDS:

• School engagement
• early school leaving
• alternative education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The established Leaving Certificate is the more academically oriented qualification, which serves as the traditional route for students aiming to progress to university. In contrast, the Leaving Certificate Applied offers a more holistic form of assessment with greater emphasis on teaching vocational and life skills. It primarily serves as a route of access to post leaving cert courses and work schemes. Alternative educational schemes fall under the national framework of qualification as a lower level of degree relative to the Leaving Certificates. They are intended to provide an option for those who feel unsuited to the demands of these other qualifications. Notwithstanding, completion can also provide access to further education.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Conall Monaghan

Conall Monaghan is a psychology post-graduate of Trinity College Dublin. He was awarded a first-class Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and sociology from Trinity College prior to commencing studies in psychology. His own experiences of fading out of secondary school contributed to the development of this research question.

Lorraine Swords

Lorraine Swords is an Assistant Professor with the School of Psychology and board member of the Trinity Research in Childhood Centre. She teaches and researches on topics relating to child and adolescent health and wellbeing, with particular interest in peer interactions in the context of physical or mental illness.