An Information Pack for Secondary Schools: Welcoming Asylum Seeker and Refugee Pupils into Your School

produced by Essex Ethnic Minority and Traveller

Achievement Service (EMTAS)

This pack provides information, advice and guidance for School Inclusion Managers, Senior and Middle Leaders, Citizenship/PSHE co-ordinators, Subject teachers and pastoral staff.

We hope you will find it helpful to read before admitting a new student who is an asylum seeker or a refugee.

Further support is always available from EMTAS: telephone (01268) 531 291

Contents

1. What is an asylum seeker/refugee?2. Where do asylum seekers and refugees come from?3. The law and asylum seekers/refugees4. Admission to your school5. Induction6. Curriculum provision7. Useful information for Year Heads/Learning Managers 8. Useful information for Subject Teachers 9. Guidance for Pastoral Staff10. Raising awareness with other students11. Sources of support12. Famous refugees

1. What is an asylum seeker/refugee?

An asylum seeker is a person who has fled from their home country in search of safety and who has applied for political asylum in another country. Most asylum seeking children arrive with the UK with one or both parents, an older sibling or with a relative/family friend. (There are also cases where children are passed off as children of a family when they are not related, but are with the carers under an agreement).If, however, a child arrives aged under 18 without an adult who is responsible for them they are then an unaccompanied asylum seeker. Children can therefore be asylum seekers in their own right.

A refugee is a person who has been awarded this status officially, having fled their home country or being unable to return there owing to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.

If a child claims asylum immediately upon entry into Britain, the responsible local authority is that of the port/airport of entry. Essex LA has Stansted and Southend Airports and Harwich Port as principal arrival points. This also applies if the child has no address or UK connection and is picked up by social services, meaning that children arriving at Tilbury, Felixstowe, etc sometimes enter the Essex education system in this way.If the child’s asylum request is made by a legal representative in the UK they are the responsibility of the LA where that representative is located.

2. Where do asylum seekers and refugees come from?

Recently, the top ten countries of origin are: Pakistan (4,783 persons), Iran (3,155), Sri Lanka (2,128), Nigeria (1,428), Syria (1,289), Afghanistan (1,234), India (1,180), Albania (987), China (859) and Eritrea (764).(Source: UNHCR Asylum Trends 2012)

Countries of origin vary over time as do the reasons for fleeing. However, refugee-producing countries tend to have poor human rights records and/or ongoing conflict eg in 2010, Afghanistan was described by UNICEF as “the world’s most dangerous place to be a child”. The Home Office website www.homeoffice.gov.uk gives current information about countries of origin.Many asylum seekers and refugees hope to return home one day if the situation in their country improves

3.The law and asylum seekers/refugees

a. StatusThe 1951 Refugee Convention guarantees everybody the right to apply for asylum in another country that signed it and to remain there until their claim has been processed. No country has ever withdrawn from The Convention, which also recognises that anyone fleeing persecution may have to escape using irregular means. For instance, there is no legal way to travel to the UK for the specific purpose of seeking asylum.

Although some asylum seekers might enter the UK illegally, once they have applied for asylum they

are no longer ‘illegal’. Anyone seeking protection is entitled to stay in the UK while awaiting a

decision on their asylum claim. It is not legally possible to apply for asylum from outside the UK.

About 20% of asylum requests are made by adults with dependent spouse/children. Whatever

decision is made, it applies equally to the applicant and all their dependents.

Decisions on asylum and human rights claims made in the UK are made by the UK Border Agency,

which is an agency of the Home Office (a UK government department). Asylum requests will have one of three outcomes: full refugee status, exceptional leave to remain (usually for 1 year, then a further 3 years, then Indefinite Leave to Remain may be applied for) or a refusal. Applicants may appeal against a refusal.Once a person is granted protection in the UK, they have the right to work, claim benefits and be re-united with their spouse and children (under 18). However, a child under the age of 18 who is

recognised as a refugee does not have the same right to be joined by their parents or brothers/sisters.

Discretionary Leave to remain (the right to stay for 3 years) is usually used in cases involving children

under 18 who cannot be returned to their country of origin. It is Home Office policy to grant such

children Discretionary Leave until they are 17½ years old, even if their asylum claim has been refused.

Since 2005 most people who are awarded refugee status are given leave to remain in the UK for 5

years. Their case can be reviewed at any time if there is good reason, such as if the circumstances in

the country of origin have changed. After five years, if it is still unsafe for the person to return to their

own country, they will be able to apply for a legal status known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in

the UK. Refugees have full entitlement to UK Health Services such as GPs, dentists, etc. Asylum applicants and those with exceptional leave to remain are exempt from NHS medical charges and are entitled to free prescriptions under the same criteria as other patients.

b. Education

Schools are required to demonstrate an awareness of diverse groups of pupils and their different needs, including refugee and asylum seeker children. Asylum seeker and refugee pupils aged 5-16 have exactly the same entitlement to full-time education as other UK pupils. This rule applies equally to LA schools, academies and free schools.Unaccompanied children who are looked after should be admitted to a mainstream school within 20 school days of seeking asylum. They should not be enrolled at a PRU or in similar alternative provision. Asylum seeking and refugee children who are looked after should have a personal education plan and it is the responsibility of schools to designate a named person to co-ordinate their educational provision. If looked after children are moved, for example to a new foster placement, education must be in place before the move, unless it occurs in an emergency.In practice refugee/asylum seeking families are likely to move home during the early period of UK residency, either from choice or under government dispersal policy. It may arise that a child is resident in a LA (but not in school) for some time before anyone knows about them.

4.Admission to your school

Find out as soon as you can whether you will need an interpreter at the admissions interview and any other meetings, such as PEP reviews. Most unaccompanied asylum seeker pupils are looked after children (LAC). Therefore, it is crucial that the school designated teacher for LAC is involved at every stage. (One advantage a LAC may have is that the foster carer will probably know the English education system well). School must see proof of an applicant’s date of birth. However, one issue facing asylum seekers on arrival in the UK is that they may be unable to verify their date of birth with official documents. Many countries asylum seekers come from do not register births in the same way as in the UK. They may have to travel on documents that do not belong to them or have been obtained fraudulently; this is accepted in international law in recognition that people may not be able to obtain passports or travel documents from a government from which they are escaping. These documents may have an adult’s date of birth so the child can more easily travel alone.

Please note that some asylum seeker/refugee pupils are “aged” by the Home Office, where a young person arrives in the UK with no documents. In these cases the date of birth is always 1st January.

There is no single method of assessing a person’s age and it is widely accepted that it is a difficult task and that the benefit of the doubt must be applied. Extreme caution should be exercised when deciding that someone should not be believed, and further guidance and expertise should always be sought.

Find out the names of any previous schools attended in the UK. If the name of the school is forgotten, ask what the uniform was like and then identify the school via the internet or the relevant LA if need be. Contact the school and find out what you can about the pupil.Parents/carers can help establish trust and partnership when first meeting the parents of refugee and

asylum seeker children. It is important to be aware, however, that refugee families may have experienced many formal interviews with officials that may have been intrusive and even distressing. They may also have acute and painful memories of interrogation in their own countries. Stressing confidentiality, giving clear information, explaining why questions are being asked and making an effort to spell and pronounce names accurately will all contribute to a genuine partnership with parents. Some parents may worry that schools will show little understanding of their recent experiences, especially in a climate where there may be misunderstanding and even hostility towards asylum seekers.

Provide clear information about how/when the parents can contact school if they need help or if there is a problem.

Find out about any dietary or religious requirements that you need to accommodate. It is a good idea to ask about eyesight and hearing, arranging for these to be tested if necessary. Parents/carers may not be aware that the tests are free of charge. A medical test may also be appropriate.Check that the new pupil receives any entitlement to uniform grants, free school meals, transport etc. Families can be asked if they are in receipt of benefits or asylum support vouchers but schools should not require passports or immigration documents to be seen. It is important to reassure parents/carers and the new pupil that all information given to the school will be treated as confidential.There may be local agencies and community organisations that help refugee children and families. EMTAS has information about these.

5.Induction

It is important to remember that refugee and asylum seeker children want to go to school, make friends, play sports and games and feel safe and happy just like any other child. Your school will already have developed a set of admission and induction procedures. These should be followed as for any other new arrival, but an additional layer of care will be needed to ensure a positive welcome to the asylum seeker/refugee child and/or family, respond flexibly to their wider needs, facilitate good communications, undertake initial assessments of English competence and general ability and then share information with teachers so they can effectively plan and track progress.

The following tips have been suggested by schools with experience in admitting asylum seeker/refugee pupils:

The English education system is complex, with its many acronyms, its jargon and its organisation. Aim to reduce this barrier as much as you can.

New arrivals often experience “culture shock” regarding the size of schools and classes, the behaviour of fellow students and teaching methodology. A secondary school can feel very intimidating if you do not understand anything going on around you!

Make sure everyone knows how to pronounce and spell the pupil’s name correctly. Introduce the refugee pupil to anyone in school with whom they share a language. Provide an induction mentor (sympathetic and approachable adult) and a buddy

(reliable and friendly pupil). A tour of the school is useful to orientate the new pupil.

Ensure that the new pupil is clear that racism, bullying etc are unacceptable in the UK and that they must report any incidents. Make it clear what constitutes unacceptable.

Providing information on the local culture is also important, so the child understands their new environment better.

A pupil with no English should not be deposited in to a classroom without some initial preparatory language input.

Aim to meet at least 3 times during the first term with the parents/carers. This is important for building trust and enabling joint support for the child.

6.Curriculum provision

A significant proportion of unaccompanied refugee children who arrive in school are in the 14-16 age group. Teachers can find it especially challenging to include pupils from overseas who arrive late in the curriculum because they may be beginners of English, they are unlikely to have studied the same examination syllabus as their peers in the UK and they may have gaps in their learning resulting from interrupted schooling. The majority of young refugees will have had interrupted prior schooling, or even no previous experience of school. They generally arrive from countries where the education system is very different. Thus they may not be used to group work, use of ICT, practical work and they may find the UK style of teaching alien. Some asylum seeker/refugee pupils will have attended an English-medium school or will have learnt some English as a foreign language. Others will have had little or no contact with English and are not literate in their home language. It is important to obtain an accurate picture before planning any provision. For most new arrivals , however, acquiring fluency in English will be a key priority.Any refugee aged under 16 is required to follow the National Curriculum just like other pupils. ie they must study English, Maths, Science, RE, PSHE/Citizenship and PE. A range of curriculum pathways at Key Stage 4 need to be explored so that assessment information accurately matches courses on offer and where there is a constrained choice of subjects, additional opportunities for extra study or EAL support need to be built in.Post-16, yor school might bend the rules for 6th form application so that a pupil can join Year 12 without the usual 5+ GCSES. A young asylum seeker/refugee person can also study at an FE college, provided they meet the admission criteria of their chosen course and the course fees can be covered, either by accessing public funding or by paying these themselves. Some colleges will not initially accept young people who have only temporary leave to remain that will end before the course finishes. When the leave to remain expires an extension can be applied for, and if need be a refusal can be appealed. In practice this means that the applicant is likely to finish the course and the decision to offer a place should not be based on this.Your pupil may be entitled to a 16-19 Bursary if (s)he satisfies the residency criteria in the EFA Funding Guidance. The bursary is £1,200p.a. Current information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/1619-bursary-fund.Pupils aged 16-18 are entitled to free ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes, usually offered at the local FE College. These classes are offered at a range of levels including beginners. Some courses run in the evening or at the weekend. Details of current courses in Essex are available at: http://www.essex.gov.uk/Education-Schools/Adult-Learning/Course-Search/Pages/Course-search.aspx.

Asylum-seeking and refugee pupils can and do move on to study at university or other places of Higher Education. Pupils should be supported to do so, which may be at a later stage than their

peers. Support may include help to complete their UCAS form, select an institution/course and to prepare for the interview. Pupils are generally unaware that they can often study their first language at university level, possibly combined with another subject, so do suggest this as an option. For pupils who have a knowledge of languages other than English there is also the little-known option of the British Council’s Erasmus Programme. This enables HE students to study from 3 months-1 year at a European HEI or work abroad. Options vary depending on chosen course and institution in the UK. Some unaccompanied refugee children may benefit from access to vocational routes and work-related programmes. Teachers will want to work closely with post-16 pathways advisers to develop suitable support for each pupil. It should be possible to set up a full time programme that responds flexibly to a late arrival’s needs, addressing gaps in learning resulting from interrupted schooling. Asylum seeker/refugee pupils should be given an additional layer of careers guidance, not overlooking the most basic facts. For instance, girls may not be aware that any career is open to them in the UK. Pupils also often believe that the more they study the better placed they will be career-wise. It is important to explain that employers value work-experience and again to provide opportunities for KS4 pupils to do this as soon as possible. This may need to be supported eg a placement where someone can speak their first language or where there is no need to read and write English. As well as work experience, the importance of having references should be explained and help given in securing referees outside school .

Outside their educational needs young asylum seeker or refugee pupils are likely to enjoy pursuing sporting and other leisure interests with people of their own age. This also provides a chance to socialise and use English in an informal context. Do what you can to facilitate opportunities within the school routine.Identify any possibilities for a refugee pupil to maintain and develop their first language, especially literacy. In addition, refugee pupils often arrive with a working knowledge of another European language if they have not come directly to England (refugees do not have to claim asylum in the first country they reach). EMTAS can often supply links to supplementary schools, cultural agencies etc.

7.Additional information for Year Heads/Learning Managers

Many of the pressures on asylum seekers are magnified for young people who arrive in the United Kingdom alone. Indeed they are a very vulnerable group. Many may come from unstable social situations and have high levels of anxiety or emotional distress as a result of the trauma of leaving their home country and their initial experiences of the host country. Being separated from their main carer, many will receive inadequate support in their new environment. This can compound feelings of isolation. They can face many difficulties accessing mainstream services. They may be more vulnerable to emotional or mental health problems, discrimination and racism.Adversity has a cumulative effect, in that one bad experience can impact upon subsequent events.Bear in mind that the parents/carers of a refugee pupil may have additional needs over and above those of other parents/carers. They may be socially isolated, emotionally “unavailable”, or may have little English and need support to access rights and benefits. It is generally harder for the parents to integrate than the children, hence any support here often pays dividends. Refugee children may not, therefore, have the advice and support that parents usually provide. For example they may have little supervision managing their attendance and organising their time. It is important that schools give them extra support, guidance and encouragement. Another common barrier to inclusion is finances. This may eg affect participation in extra curricular activities.

Sometimes asylum seeker/refugee pupils have lacked decent medical care and some arrive with untreated conditions such as malnutrition, parasites, TB, malaria and dental conditions. School nurses have a useful role here. Pupils may also have missed out on vaccinations.

Some asylum seeker/refugee children will need rapid referral to an educational psychologist, CAMHS, or other outside agency. Common signs of deep distress are:

reduced attendance or truancy behaviour difficulties: aggression, withdrawal, attention seeking poor concentration, hyperactivity, restlessless tearfulness, anxiety, disturbed sleep physical signs: aches and pains, nausea, itches

Be alert to the needs of subject teachers, who may not all feel skilled and knowledgeable in meeting the needs of refugee pupils. Be ready for questions and reply honestly. Don’t be afraid to say 'I don’t know' in answer to some questions, especially to any which may centre on cultural or religious backgrounds with which you are not familiar.

The structure and routine of a school day helps give a refugee child a sense of normality and security and provides a social network. School holidays can therefore be a difficult time, especially the 6-week summer break. Check that the pupil will see friends and attend events like summer schools, holiday clubs.When working with unaccompanied refugee children it is important to ensure they have access to appropriate one-to-one support from an adult, for example from a mentor or a personal post-16 pathways adviser.Unfortunately refugee pupils frequently encounter racism and/or bullying, but may not always be or feel able to report this. When they seem ready for this, make opportunities for a refugee pupil to talk (with a trusted person) about their family story and their recent history. Creative activities such as Art, music, dance, gardening etc can also help refugee pupils to express themselves.

Any refugee pupil who has EAL and was admitted to an English school for the first time after the start of Year 10 should not be counted on your school roll as regards the secondary performance tables. However, they are still required to follow the National Curriculum, which may need to be made accessible through differentiation and support.

8.Useful Advice for Subject Teachers

Remember that self-esteem and learning are very much linked. Self-esteem is boosted by achievement and by a pupil’s sense of worth. Keep a focus on what the refugee pupil can do and does know and avoid adopting a ‘deficit model’ of their leaning. Teachers of Maths, PE, D&T, Art, etc are often the first ones in a position to judge ability accurately and congratulate good outcomes. A learner new or unaccustomed to the Roman alphabet will have difficulty copying at speed or may not form letters well at first. Refugee pupils may display withdrawn, aggressive, childish or bizarre behaviour. Commonly they have difficulty trusting adults because they fear loss. They may be reluctant to respond positively to a teacher’s attempts to be friendly or interact with them. Breaktime and lunchtime often feel upsetting, lonely or unsafe to a refugee pupil. It is supportive if a check can be made on the pupil’s wellbeing in lessons following a break. Also, a pupil may be reluctant to leave the lesson if it does not feel safe to do so. Be on the alert for racist behaviours and comments and record these immediately. Remember that racism can take the form of ignoring, inappropriate facial gestures, hostile body language etc. These too should be dealt with by recording them. Avoid using language yourself that excludes an asylum seeker or refugee learner; for example, when referring to ‘parents’ or when setting up curriculum projects that involve or refer to ‘family’ at home.Refugee children may not wish to talk about their home country or family circumstances, sometimes fearing that this may jeopardise their chances of staying here or because they do not want to be seen as different. They may also feel embarrassment about popular images of their home country. One strategy is to take a genuine interest in the pupil’s other language(s) and show that you value their achievements in this area.

9.Guidance for Pastoral Support Staff

It is easy to forget, especially after the initial settling-in period, that refugee pupils may be affected by trauma, disturbing memories and disorientation. This may manifest in poor or withdrawn behaviour, poor appetite, being overly nervous, etc.

Help pupils to feel optimistic about their education and their future and to see that they are making progress. Encourage them to remember and talk about good things about life in the home country and help them to maintain any links they still have there.

Many refugee children have suffered a drop in their standard of living, changed social status and other major changes in their life. Sometimes they also have difficulty “fitting in” socially.

Teachers and support staff may react with trepidation when faced with a refugee pupil., especially if they have little or no experience in this area.

Check that a refugee pupil has tools for doing homework: pen, colouring pencils, dictionary, internet password, etc.

10. Raising awareness with others in the school communityThe arrival of an asylum seeker or refugee pupil will certainly test your school’s inclusion and equality policy and practice. Media portrayals and stereotypical images of refugees can sometimes be a barrier to understanding and empathy on the part of adults and fellow pupils. The arrival of a refugee pupil can hence be viewed as an opportunity for key adults to model appropriate approaches and behaviours and for pupils to display inclusive attitudes and to increase their intercultural understanding. At all ages pupils can develop in skills such as empathy, respect, kindness and tolerance. A useful approach when pre-empting or dealing with undesirable pupil attitudes is to concentrate on experiences which are held in common, such as loss, loneliness, being an outsider or being frightened.Refugee Week is an annual event celebrating the contribution of refugees to the UK and encouraging people to take a more positive look at asylum. Performances and awareness-

raising events take place across the UK. The event takes place every June, so why not organise a celebration in your school? See http://www.refugeeweek.org.uk.

11. Sources of support

A comprehensive digest of resources, organisations and assistance for those supporting the needs of asylum seeker and refugee learners was produced by the GTC. It is currently still downloadable from:http://www.learning.luton.gov.uk/l2g/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/7100/refugeeresources.pdf.

12. Famous refugees

Prince Philip The Greek Royal Family was exiled from Corfu, Greece when Prince Philip was 18 months old, and so young refugee Philip came to Britain in a crib made from an orange box, travelling on a British warship with a Danish passport. He spent his early life in Paris, his parents living on handouts from relatives.

Sigmund FreudFreud was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, creating an entirely new approach to the understanding of the human personality. He is regarded as one of the most influential - and controversial - minds of the 20th century. As a Jew he had to flee to London at 84, after having lived in Austria for 79 years, when Hitler's army attacked Austria, proclaiming union with Germany.

Jesus ChristHis family fled with him as a baby from Israel to Egypt to escape king Herod’s ‘massacre of the innocents’.

Karl MarxThe famous philosopher was expelled from Paris at the end of 1844 for his political views. He moved to Brussels where he was permitted greater freedom of expression than any other European state.

Michael MarksMarks & Spencer's co-founder, Michael Marks, was a Jewish refugee from Poland, then part of the Russian Empire. As a young man Marks emigrated to England without a trade and unable to speak the English language, Marks moved to Leeds. He and Thomas Spencer began the company in 1884.

Sir Montagu BurtonSir Montague Burton (1885-1952), founder of the tailoring empire that bears his name, was one of several Russian Jewish immigrants who built enormously successful businesses from humble beginnings. He left Russia when he was just 15, with the aim of setting up in business in Britain - taking with him the equivalent of £100 to get him started.

Refugees to this country include 16 knights and peers of the realm, 18 Nobel Prize-winners, 71 Fellows of the Royal Society.

Sephardic Jews, who fled to Holland after their expulsion from Spain and Portugal, came to England under Cromwell in the 1660’s and introduced fish and chips. German Jewish refugees who came to England in the 1930’s, fleeing Nazi persecution also invented the soft toilet roll and the biro.