School Pregnancy, Motherhood and Education: Dealing with Difference

Personal accounts by pregnant schoolgirls and schoolgirl mothers of their educational experiences and aspirations are the subject of this important book. Set within a wider educational context where schools are now expected to accommodate a wide range of pupil differences, they reveal that despite inclusive policy and a national strategy that aims to support young mothers to complete their education, these pupils find themselves disparaged and pushed to the school margins.
The research shows that even within inclusive schools, the dilemma of difference caused by a pupil pregnancy was not easily resolved. The book offers practical suggestions for achieving affirming educational experiences and better educational outcomes for these pupils. It argues for recognition of a greater range of differences among young people and for the development of broader conceptualizations of social inclusion and exclusion.
School Pregnancy, Motherhood and Education is for everyone who has a specific interest in or responsibility for supporting vulnerable pupils, including girls who become pregnant while still of statutory school age. Current and prospective school leaders, local authority staff, teachers, teacher educators and teacher trainees will all find it invaluable. While it focuses on one specific group of students, the institutional responses to their particular difference reflects the oppressive experiences of other marginalized groups, so the book will also interest professionals and policy makers concerned with inclusive education.