‘Square pegs, round holes’—A qualitative case study investigating pupils with attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder and their perception of barriers to inclusion in classrooms in the north of England

Abstract Attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a commonly diagnosed disorder in children and young people. The majority of research focuses on a biomedical management model of the disorder, aiming to limit the impact of symptoms and behaviour typically associated with the disorder. Quantitative research has typically been used to investigate ADHD, with studies failing to take into account the voice of young people. A significant proportion of research has taken place in America and the South of England. Research with young people in the North of England is limited. Recent research focusing specifically on educational experiences is also limited. This study aimed to present the views and experiences of young people with ADHD through a qualitative approach, specifically focusing on their experiences in education. This study contributes to current literature by voicing the experiences of young people in the North of England. Six participants took part in a qualitative study answering questions in a semi‐structured interview. Qualitative methods were employed to enable the voice of participants to be fully heard and presented in the research. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview transcripts to identify themes from participant voice. Four main themes were identified through reflexive thematic analysis: students with ADHD feel unwanted in mainstream education, mainstream education excludes students with ADHD, medication use to make students with ADHD fit and advice and important observations from students with ADHD on making mainstream education more inclusive. The findings are discussed and framed within the metaphor of ‘square pegs‐round holes’, and explored, compared and contrasted with relevant literature. The findings highlight that participants reported that the rigid and performative structure of mainstream schooling, including inflexible routines and behaviour policies, made it difficult to engage and intensified their ADHD symptoms. These conditions contributed to feelings of exclusion, misunderstanding and stigma from both teachers and peers. By foregrounding the voices of young people with ADHD in the North of England, including their perceptions and advice for improvement, this work adds to the current field of literature.