ABSTRACT
The study was carried out in a town (Midtowne) in the Midlands where there are five state secondary schools within the town itself, plus one in a rural location. After describing the journey map, the main questions were posed, using the map to show which stage in their education the questions related to. It was imperative that the students were offered the opportunity to explore any questions or unlocked emotions brought about by the study, so the deputy head made time available to them in the days that followed. The overarching theme that emerged from all the student participants was resilience. However, the recurrent attitude of the participants to the school’s poor reputation tallies with the overarching theme of resilience. The author overarching conclusion was that, despite attending the least favourable school in the area, the majority of students were positive about their school.
