Welcome and Inclusion
Welcome and Inclusion
We welcome new children and their parents to school, with a planned induction programme, peer support and access to interpreters and translators as necessary. We facilitate parental involvement in their children's learning, using family learning workshops, educational advice sessions, translation, interpreting and social opportunities.
We facilitate extra support in English when this is needed.
We promote the study of refugee history and issues by supporting Refugee Week activities, and initiatives in the mainstream curriculum.
Welcoming new families
Like other new children, refugee children will need to feel safe and welcome, and have the support they need to settle in and become effective learners. Schools will want to ensure that they have an inclusive admissions process, one that welcomes and meets the needs of all children arriving during the school year. Being well prepared and having clear procedures will enable time and resources to be used effectively. Good practice to welcome refugee children can improve the inclusion of all new arrivals.
Involving refugee parents in school life
The involvement of refugee parents in school life is an effective means of ensuring the educational success of pupils and improving their well-being. However there are many reasons why refugee parents may be involved less than other parents. There are also many approaches that can help to build bridges.
Children in distress
While most refugee children quickly settle into the school routine and are able to continue their learning, a few may show signs of significant or continuing distress. Others may show noticeable delays in the rate of their learning, for example, compared to other refugee children on roll.
Case Study: Home School Liaison
A ten year old boy from Iran had been housed in four different hotels in two years since arriving in London, sharing a room with his mother and father. His mother was being helped by the Medical Foundation for the Victims of Torture, and also received treatment at the local hospital. His father was the mother's carer, and also provided most of the parental support.
Community Links
Building networks of support is a vital part of re-establishing independence and feeling able to participate within the new community. We hold regular, informal themed coffee mornings. These have led to the provision of workshops from organisations in a variety of fields: educational, therapeutic, creative etc. Ultimately, the aim is for parents to plan and organise their own activities using our facilities.