Responding to schoolgirl pregnancy: the recognition and non-recognition of difference

Abstract

Teenage mothers in the UK have been found to be at risk of early school leaving, low levels of educational achievement and low levels of post-compulsory educational participation. Current policy in the UK emphasizes the importance of education as a way of improving the life chances of those who become pregnant while young and, as part of that, schools are encouraged to support the educational inclusion of those who become pregnant while still of statutory school age. Drawing on repeat qualitative interviews conducted over a 15-month period, this article examines the educational experiences of a group of students in one local authority in England who became pregnant while still at school. Particular attention is paid to how different schools addressed the ‘dilemma of difference’ posed by teenage pregnancy and how school attitudes and practices enhanced or inhibited educational participation.