The Role of Senior Management

OFSTED reported that 'the contribution of the headteacher and senior staff was crucial in ensuring the rapid and successful integration of the pupils'. [1] Examples of good practice from senior management they found included the following:

emphasising high staff expectations for all, in learning and behaviour
dealing directly with any racism or bullying
ensuring a positive ethos generally, and in particular being positive about the new arrivals, emphasising their good attitudes to education rather then seeing them as a problem
monitoring the impact of initiatives and policies on standards
providing staff training in refugee issues
ensuring the deployment of resources based on careful analysis of need
raising funds for new initiatives e.g. home-school link officers who acted as interpreters and translators, ran classes for parents and breakfast clubs, and a mother tongue class
establishing networks of support and multi-agency links
using assemblies and special events, such as Refugee Week to promote different cultures and bring the relevant issues into the curriculum

Inclusive practice should ensure that meeting the needs of refugee pupils is the responsibility of the whole school, rather than a 'bolt-on'. Likewise the benefits of changes made to meet the needs of this particularly vulnerable group are available to all.

[1] 'The education of asylum-seeker pupils' (2003) OFSTED