Utilising Bacchi's what's the problem represented to be? (WPR) approach to analyse national school exclusion policy in England and Scotland: a worked example

Figures & data

Table 1. WPR approach to policy analysis.

Question 1 What’s the problem represented to be in a specific policy or policies?

Question 2 What deep-seated presuppositions or assumptions (conceptual logics) underlie this representation of the ‘problem’ (problem representation)?

Question 3 How has this representation of the ‘problem’ come about?

Question 4 What is left unproblematic in this problem representation? Where are the silences? Can the ‘problem’ beconceptualised differently?

Question 5 What effects (discursive, subjectification, lived) are produced by this representation of the ‘problem’?

Question 6 How and where has this representation of the ‘problem’ been produced, disseminated and defended? How has it been and/or how can it be disrupted and replaced?

Step 7 Apply this list of questions to your own problem representations.

Adapted from Bacchi and Goodwin (2016, p. 20).

Table 2. Problem representations of challenging behaviour identified in DfE (2017) and SG (2017).

DfE (2017)		SG (2017)
Solution examples identified from policy document	Problem representations	Solution examples identified from policy document	Problem representations
‘Schools should consider whether a multi-agency assessment that goes beyond the pupil’s educational needs is required’ (6)	Challenging behaviour … can be multifaceted and the result of factors outside of school	‘A school’s culture, ethos and values are fundamental to promoting positive relationships and behaviour. An inclusive ethos where everyone’s contribution is valued and encouraged should be promoted’ (18)	Challenging behaviour … results from poor relationships in the school community and can be tackled by focusing on ethos and inclusion
‘Early intervention to address underlying causes of disruptive behaviour should include an assessment of whether appropriate provision is in place to support any SEN [special educational need] or disability that a pupil may have. The head teacher should also consider the use of a multi-agency assessment for a pupil who demonstrates persistent disruptive behaviour. Such assessments may pick up unidentified SEN but the scope of the assessment could go further, for example, by seeking to identify mental health or family problems’ (10)	… results from unmet needs / … indicates additional needs  … is a problem resulting from within the child and/or the family	‘More robust and transparent assessment and information gathering should help schools and local authorities to support children and young people more appropriately. As well as a focus on literacy and numeracy, it will also bring greater focus to improvements in the health and wellbeing of children and young people’ (14)	… indicates unmet need e.g. educational, health, social  … can be addressed via gathering and using data
		Key approaches to developing positive relationships and behaviour include: ‘whole school nurturing approaches based on nurturing principles, including nurture groups in early years, primary, and secondary and specialist provision’ (20)	… may be the result of social and emotional needs / trauma
		Prevention must involve ‘everyone in the learning community – children and young people, staff, parent(s) and the wider community’ (18)	… can be prevented
		‘Joined-up partnership working is a fundamental aspect of the whole system approach; where children and young people, parents, and the services they need all work together in a co-ordinated way to meet specific needs and improve the child or young person’s wellbeing’ (21)	… is multifaceted and needs a holistic response
		‘The Scottish Government, in partnership with local authorities, Education Scotland and other agencies, has invested significantly in a wide range of approaches which focus on improving positive relationships and behaviour and promoting community safety’ (18)	… is the responsibility of all staff / strong school principals
		A key approach to developing positive relationships and behaviour is ‘effective learning and teaching which contributes to developing good relationships and positive behaviour in the classroom, playground and wider school community’ (20)	… may result from ineffective learning and teaching
		‘Risk and health and safety assessments should also be carried out to determine any potential concerns arising from the child or young person’s behaviour, and should identify any steps deemed necessary to support the child or young person in preventing harm to themselves or others (22)	… is a threat to community safety

Table 3. Purpose of DfE (2017) and SG (2017) school exclusion guidance.

Exclusion from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England: Statutory guidance for those with legal responsibilities in relation to exclusion. (DfE 2017)

Included, engaged and involved part 2: Preventing and managing school exclusions. (SG 2017)

‘This document from the Department for Education provides a guide to the legislation that governs the exclusion of pupils from maintained schools, pupil referral units (PRUs), academy schools (including free schools, studio schools and university technology colleges) and alternative provision academies (including alternative provision free schools) in England’ (3) ‘This statutory guidance has been updated in a small number of areas, in particular to provide greater confidence to head teachers on their use of exclusion and to provide greater clarity to independent review panels and governing boards on their consideration of exclusion decisions’ (6)

‘The purpose of this guidance is to refresh national policy on the prevention of and the management of exclusion from school in the context of national government and education authority responsibilities and desired outcomes for children and young people’ (5) ‘This guidance is an opportunity to refresh and realign the use of exclusion in learning establishments. It includes a refreshed focus on prevention, early intervention and response to individual need in line with the principles of Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC). It emphasizes the need for learning establishments to place a greater importance on inclusion through effective learning and teaching; promoting positive relationships and behaviour; and employment of preventative approaches which reduce the need to consider exclusion’ (5)          [Bold emphasis added]

Table 4. School exclusion criteria in England and Scotland.

England (DfE 2017)

Scotland (SG 2017)

Headteachers have the power to exclude. ‘A decision to exclude a pupil permanently should only be taken: 'in response to a serious breach or persistent breaches of the school’s behaviour policy; and where allowing the pupil to remain in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupil or others in the school’ (10) ‘It is unlawful to exclude for a non-disciplinary reason’ (9)

Power to exclude rests with the Local Authority who can delegate to schools. Regulation 4 provides that an education authority shall not exclude a pupil from school unless the authority: ‘are of the opinion that the parent of the pupil refuses or fails to comply, or to allow the pupil to comply, with the rules, regulations, or disciplinary requirements of the school’; or ‘consider that the circumstances to allow the pupil to continue his attendance at the school would be likely to be seriously detrimental to order and discipline in the school or the educational well-being of the pupils there’ (31) ‘Children and young people must not be sent home on an ‘informal exclusion’ or sent home to ‘cool-off’’ (25)          [Bold emphasis and italics added]

Bacchi, C., and Goodwin, S., 2016. Poststructural policy analysis: a guide to practice. New York: Palgrave Pivot.

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Department for Education (DfE), 2017. Exclusion from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England: statutory guidance for those with legal responsibilities in relation to exclusion. London: DfE.

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Scottish Government (SG), 2017. Included, engaged and involved part 2: preventing and managing school exclusions. Edinburgh: SG.

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