In recent weeks we have all seen images and news reports about the thousands of people, many of them children of school age, trying to make their way from troubled homelands to the safety of Europe.
Here in the UK, many children will be aware of the headlines and may have found some of the accompanying images distressing.
With Syrian migrants starting to arrive, some schools may already be lined up to take in refugee or asylum-seeking children, and more are likely to be called upon to do so as the UK fulfils its commitment to resettling some of those affected.
At The Key, the first questions about supporting children affected by the crisis have started to trickle in. It’s unlikely that the situation will be resolved any time soon, so here’s some practical information on five of the main considerations for school leaders.
Discussing the current crisis
Whether or not your school or community is directly affected, the current situation provides a focus for introducing the subject of migration and refugees to pupils in a measured and sensitive way.
Assembly is an opportunity to discuss the issue from different perspectives and correct any misconceptions. Why not show the more positive side of the news, highlighting stories about people who are helping those in need (1)?
Secondary schools could explore the effects of war, encourage debate, or compare the current situation with similar historical events.
However you wish to approach the topic, there are plenty of resources to help. The Association for Citizenship Teaching has produced guidance on teaching about the current crisis (2) and the Global Dimension website has pulled together a variety of links, teaching ideas and suggestions for how to take action (3).
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees has lesson modules and activities on the topics of refugees, migration and conflict more broadly (4), and the Refugee Week website links to a wide variety of classroom resources on the subject (5).
Staff, too, may need support to discuss the situation with pupils; adopting a whole-school approach may be helpful, with all staff aware of what the school’s response is.
The National Association for Language Development in the Classroom (NALDIC) has guidance for school staff on good practice and things to consider when teaching about refugees (6). UNICEF Australia also has advice on how to talk to children about the crisis, which both staff and parents may find useful (7).
Supporting a refugee/asylum-seeking pupil
For schools that receive refugee or asylum-seeking pupils there will be many new challenges. The main priority will be providing appropriate pastoral care to help them settle into a potentially very different environment from that which they are used to.
Given that these pupils may have had distressing experiences before their arrival in the UK, it might be wise to arrange professional counselling. The Refugee Council suggests ChildLine as a free counselling service for children and young people, which can be accessed online and over the phone (8).
Settling in will be far easier for these pupils if their peers are approachable and friendly. Many schools already have “buddy schemes” or peer-mentoring systems to help pupils integrate effectively; this could be extended to support a newly arrived pupil so that he or she has an immediate friend in school and feels welcomed and accepted from the start.
NALDIC advises that further considerations when welcoming a newly arrived refugee or asylum-seeker pupil could include providing support for language learning, modifying the curriculum and monitoring progress, establishing routines, and creating an inclusive environment (9).
Supporting the pupil’s family
There are also practical steps schools can take to help refugee families and those seeking asylum to get the support they need. For example, the pupil should be eligible for free school meals, but his or her parents might need your help with applying for them (10).
It is also possible that there will be a language barrier which might prevent the parents from fully engaging in school life. Might the school be able to provide an interpreter for meetings with the parents, produce school letters and publications in the parents’ first language, or support them to learn English – or direct them to other sources of support for this?
Newly arrived families might also struggle to pay for the uniform and equipment their children will need for school. You might want to consider whether the school will provide these things for free, or offer a financial contribution. You can see if your local authority provides help with the cost of school clothing by entering your postcode online (11).
Administering tests and exam results
If a child refugee or asylum-seeker joins your school, your main concern will undoubtedly be his or her welfare and access to learning. However, at a more bureaucratic level, if the pupil arrives with little or no English and is due to sit national curriculum tests or external exams, you will need to decide whether he or she will be ready to take them, and whether or not to apply for the pupil’s results to be discounted from the calculation of performance measures (12).
If you have any questions about withdrawing pupils from national curriculum tests you might want to speak to the Standards and Testing Agency. For external exams, you can seek advice from the relevant exam boards.
Further advice and support for schools
If your school is taking in a refugee or asylum-seeking pupil, there are several sources of information and support that you can turn to, including:
- Your local asylum support team (13), who will be able to answer any questions from asylum-seeking families needing help and advice
- Charities like Refugee Action (14), the Refugee Council (15) and Coram Children’s Legal Centre (16), which may be able to give you more advice on supporting refugees and talking about the crisis with young people.
- The Department for Education, for questions concerning a refugee or asylum-seeking pupil’s education.
- Marianne Pope is a researcher at The Key, which provides impartial leadership and management support to schools in England.
References and resources
- www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34162844
- www.teachingcitizenship.org.uk/resource/approaches-teaching-about-crisis-mediterranean-refugees-migration-and-conflict
- https://globaldimension.org.uk/news/item/20394
- www.unhcr.org/pages/4ab34cb66.html
- www.refugeeweek.org.uk/Info-Centre/Resources-on-Refugees/classroom-resources
- www.naldic.org.uk/eal-teaching-and-learning/outline-guidance/ealrefugee/reftl
- www.unicef.org.au/blog/september-2015/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-the-refugee-crisis
- www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/services/2904_childline
- www.naldic.org.uk/eal-teaching-and-learning/outline-guidance/ealrefugee/refwel
- www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals
- www.gov.uk/help-school-clothing-costs
- https://tableschecking.education.gov.uk/
- www.gov.uk/asylum-support/further-information
- www.refugee-action.org.uk
- www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
- www.childrenslegalcentre.com