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Schools and LEAs across the country are developing their own effective strategies for teaching asylum seeker and refugee pupils, new research has revealed (23 Aug 2005).
The research, carried out by Professor Madeleine Arnot and Dr Halleli Pinson from the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge, describes six models of practice drawn from investigations into how schools and LEAs support asylum-seeker and refugee pupils.
The aim of the research was to explore both the national and local responses to asylum-seeker and refugee pupils and investigate how LEAs and schools respond to the different needs of these pupils.
“Schools and LEAs recognise that asylum-seeker and refugee children deserve compassion, a place of safety and the opportunity to develop. The report highlights the different ways in which the educational system responds to the presence of such children and the need to give schools and LEAs as much support as possible,” said Professor Arnot.
According to the report, LEAs and schools have developed a range of working practices to support asylum-seeker and refugee pupils. In particular, the researchers found six models of practice.
The research did not investigate the impact that the different types of models had on the well-being and learning of young asylum seekers and refugees.
The research was sponsored by the General Teaching Council for England (GTC) and the Faculty of Education at Cambridge University and was commissioned by the Research Consortium, which is made up of the GTC, the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge, the Refugee Council and the National Union of Teachers (NUT).
The GTC now intends to disseminate the findings of the research through its Achieve network, which supports teachers and other education professionals with an interest in promoting race equality in schools.
GTC Chair Judy Moorhouse said: “The research indicates that schools and LEAs across the country are developing their own good models of practice for teaching and supporting asylum seeker and refugee pupils. Far too often asylum is portrayed only in the most negative terms, and so it is extremely positive to hear about the considerable accomplishments of both schools and LEAs.
"The GTC is committed to supporting teachers to provide the best possible learning for every pupil. Therefore, the GTC will disseminate this research through its Achieve network for teachers and also use it to build on the work it is already carrying out to support teachers of asylum seeker and refugee pupils."
Nora McKenna, Education Policy Adviser for the Refugee Council, said: “The high achievement of asylum seeking and refugee children in schools is testimony not only to their determination and resilience but also, as this report shows, to the dedication and commitment of schools across the country.
“We hope this research will enable teachers, schools and LEAs to look at their own practice and explore new ways of supporting these extraordinary young people.”
NUT General Secretary Steve Sinnott said: “There is much in this research which is positive and a tribute to the teaching profession. Teachers rise to the challenge of supporting the complex needs of refugee and asylum seeking children time and time again. They often do this in the context of few resources and conflicting demands on them.
“The NUT will continue to make the case for a national funding stream on which local authorities can draw to meet the costs of targeted programmes for asylum seeking and refugee children.”
