Pupil school mobility – a scoping review and reconceptualisation of a complex phenomenon
Clara Rübner Jørgensen, Laura Cristescu, Laurence Lessard-Phillips & Thomas Perry
We are delighted to share our first publication from the School MOVES study, which brings together and maps the extensive body of research on pupil school mobility and proposes a new framework for understanding the phenomenon.
Drawing on literature from across multiple disciplines, the paper highlights the diversity of children’s experiences and challenges assumptions that school mobility is inherently associated with negative outcomes. Instead, the findings demonstrate that the circumstances surrounding a move, and the wider contexts in which children live and learn, play a crucial role in shaping experiences and outcomes.
The paper also introduces a reconceptualisation of pupil school mobility that moves beyond deficit-focused perspectives, recognising both the challenges and opportunities that school moves can present. By offering a more nuanced framework, the study aims to support future research, policy, and practice in understanding and responding to the needs of mobile pupils.