Supporting Refugee and Asylum Seeker pupils - Print version

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Supporting refugee and asylum seeker pupils

As of the end of June 2025, the most recent reporting period, 117.3 million people had been forced to flee their homes globally in order to seek sanctuary [https://www.unhcr.org/uk/about-unhcr/overview/figures-glance]. Coventry continues to live up to its City of Sanctuary title [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/ethnic-minority-achievement-service-emas/schools-sanctuary] and we welcome a significant number of pupils from Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and several African countries.

Whilst schools might worry about meeting the distinct needs of asylum-seeking and refugee children, not all children who have experienced armed conflict and flight will suffer from trauma and stress. There are, however, key factors that lead to these pupils being some of our most vulnerable:

  • About half of the world’s refugees are children who are often very vulnerable. They are five times more likely to have been out of school
  • living with a parent or guardian who has also experienced, or is experiencing, stress and trauma
  • if still an asylum-seeker, living in an uncertain situation (not knowing if one will stay in the country)
  • living in a challenging financial situation which adds more stress to their life
  • living in a new place where community and social networks may be new or limited
  • having experienced multiple traumas or stress (violence in their country of origin, losing a loved one, a stressful journey to a safe place)

Many refugee children display amazing resilience and respond positively to effective school and social care support.

Things to consider for refugee children in your classroom:

  • help to stabilise students or children struggling with trauma and stress by creating a reliable, daily, transparent timetable or rhythm during the school days
  • encourage a sense of belonging and feelings of safety and security by creating welcoming, parting and acknowledgement rituals
  • increase students’ self-confidence by encouraging participation

School and most importantly the relationships formed at school can be an incredibly stabilising, positive and nurturing experience in a child’s life, which can help them move on from more challenging times. Paired with supportive help at home or in out-of-school life from parents, siblings, other family members and guardians, many children and students will overcome the challenges they are experiencing without additional help.

Further advice and support

EMAS - general enquiries

Address: Coventry City Council
PO Box 7097
Coventry
CV6 9SL

Telephone: 024 7697 5491 [tel:02476975491]

EMAS - teacher enquiries

Address: PO Box 15
Council House
Earl Street
Coventry
CV1 5RR

Telephone: 024 7697 5491 [tel:02476975491]

Supporting pupils on resettlement schemes in Coventry schools

Background of ARAP and UKRS Schemes

Recently, the Homes for Ukraine and ARP (Afghan Relocation Programme) schemes have given Afghan and Ukrainian children and young people the opportunity to access the British education system and have given support to schools in regard to supporting pupil needs. The UKRS (United Kingdom Resettlement Scheme) formally known as VPRS (Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme) is a well-established scheme which has also meant that many pupils originating from countries such as Syria, Iraq, Sudan and so on have had opportunities to excel in their academic career over the past 6 years.

These pupils often arrive with no or little English. Typically, these pupils speak Arabic, Kurdish, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Tigrinya or local dialects and so need help to access the curriculum which is delivered in English.

Who has attracted this funding

These children and their families have entered the UK to resettle as they are leaving behind significant hardships: war, persecution, trauma to name but a few. Their journey to the UK may have been long and treacherous. Pupils will need support emotionally as they adjust to their new life as well as tackling issues such as a lack of previous education and perhaps at an early stage of learning English.

Support for schools

Pupils who arrive in the UK via these schemes receive an intensive 12-month support package from a range of partners including EMAS to support education at both primary and secondary stages. Support packages will vary depending on need but may consist of:

  • Multi-Lingual Assistants (MLAs) are deployed where possible to support pupils across the city in settling into the classroom and accessing lessons in the early months
  • visits are made by advisory teachers each term in order to assess pupil progress
  • advisory teachers’ comprehensive CPD offer to school professionals
  • applications for free school meals and the Coventry Boot Fund are supported by The Migration Partnership

More information

The Coventry City Council Migration Team website [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/immigration-asylum] and the Our Coventry website [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/immigration-asylum/support-refugees-asylum-seekers-1/7]gives more information on how refugee scheme families are supported before and after they arrive in the UK.

If you believe that a pupil within your setting may have entered the UK through the UKRS, ARAP or Homes for Ukraine scheme and you wish to contact our advisory teaching team, then please make contact by phone or email. [http://emasteachers@coventry.gov.uk]

EMAS - general enquiries

Address: Coventry City Council
PO Box 7097
Coventry
CV6 9SL

Telephone: 024 7697 5491 [tel:02476975491]

EMAS - teacher enquiries

Address: PO Box 15
Council House
Earl Street
Coventry
CV1 5RR

Telephone: 024 7697 5491 [tel:02476975491]

Resources for supporting pupils seeking sanctuary

We have compiled a list of potential resources that may be of interest for supporting pupils seeking sanctuary in your school:

Background Reading and Guidance

How to support transitions to further education for refugee young people in the UK [https://www.unicef.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Advice-for-Schools.pdf]

Thirty years of NALDIC: refugees and asylum-seeking children [https://naldic.org.uk/thirty-years-of-naldic-refugees-and-asylum-seeking-children/]

Welcoming Refugee Children to Your School, a National Education Union Teaching Resource [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8491/national-education-union-neu-welcoming-refugee-children-to-your-school-guide]

Bell Foundation: Welcoming Refugee and Asylum Seeking Learners [https://www.bell-foundation.org.uk/resources/guidance/schools-and-leaders/welcoming-refugee-and-asylum-seeking-learners/]

Become a School of Sanctuary [https://schools.cityofsanctuary.org/]

 

CPD for School Staff

Healing Classrooms Online Training [https://www.rescue.org/uk/irc-uks-healing-classrooms]

Parent Partnership Resources

Entitlements to NHS Services for migrants in England [https://youtu.be/LVcCNGrxau8]

Refugee Education UK Welcome pack [https://www.reuk.org/welcome#:~:text=Education%20Welcome%20pack,resources%2C%20courses%20and%20interpretation%20services.]

Bell Foundation Information Leaflet: About the English Education System: Primary Schools (English but also available online in a variety of other languages) [https://www.bell-foundation.org.uk/resources/guidance/parental-involvement/guidance-for-parents-english-education-system/]

Bell Foundation Information Leaflet: About the English Education System: Secondary Schools (English but also available online in a variety of other languages) [https://www.bell-foundation.org.uk/resources/guidance/parental-involvement/guidance-for-parents-english-education-system/]

Bell Foundation Information Leaflet: Helping Children Learn (English but also available online in a variety of other languages) [https://www.bell-foundation.org.uk/resources/guidance/parental-involvement/guidance-for-parents-helping-children-learn/]

Our Coventry Refugee and Migrant Support [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/immigration-asylum/support-refugees-asylum-seekers-1]

Carriers of Hope [https://carriersofhope.org.uk/] help with school uniform [https://carriersofhope.org.uk/finding-cheap-school-uniform-in-coventry/]

Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre [https://covrefugee.org/]

British Red Cross, Help for Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Migrant Help [https://www.migranthelpuk.org/]

Inini for Mental Health Freedom [https://inini.co.uk/]

Induction

Refugee activity pack for KS2,3 and 4 [https://refugeeswellschool.org/activeapp/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/WTS_Student-English.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3R-Mzsc-ibzGzwV_Y_Ayyx2P6aSstPBosOK_CifbwfqwJFfoy4UdVoL6A]

Education Above All 'My Host Country' Induction Booklets for 6-7 year olds (English) [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8422/my-host-country-booklet-for-6-to-7-year-olds-english], 8-10 year olds (English) [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8423/my-host-country-booklet-age-8-to-10] and 11-16 year olds (English) [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8424/my-host-country-booklet-age-11-to-16]

International Organization for Migration Welcome to the United Kingdom Journals for ages 5-9, 10-13 and 14-18 [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8425/international-organisation-for-migration-welcome-to-the-united-kingdom-journal]

PSHE Resources

Twinkl Refugees KS2 PowerPoint and Discussion Pack [https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/refugees-ks2-powerpoint-and-discussion-pack-t-lf-1684223288]  [https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/immigration-word-mat-t-tp-1637146731]and other refugee themed resources [http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/immigration-word-mat-t-tp-1637146731]

British Red Cross Refugees and Migration teaching resources [https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-involved/teaching-resources/refugees-and-migration]

Stories of Hope and Home: Access to people with lived experience of the UK asylum system making visits into schools [https://www.storiesofhome.org.uk/]

A Day of Welcome [https://schools.cityofsanctuary.org/resources/a-day-of-welcome]

Refugee Week [https://refugeeweek.org.uk/]

Reading and Teaching Resources

Story Books UK (online stories in home languages) [https://global-asp.github.io/storybooks-uk/stories/fa/]

WorldStories (online stories in home languages ) [https://worldstories.org.uk/library]

Mantra Lingua (purchasable dual language story books in home languages) [https://uk.mantralingua.com/]

Twinkl (paid for website but includes EAL resources with home language translations such as survival English fans and so on) [https://www.twinkl.co.uk/]

The Coventry Schools Library Service offers the opportunity to loan dual language books and books on the theme of sanctuary [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/schools-library-resource-service]

Book Trust: Books about refugees and asylum seekers for teenagers [https://www.booktrust.org.uk/book-recommendations/booklists/books-about-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-for-teenagers/]

Book Trust: Books about refugees and asylum seekers for older children [https://www.booktrust.org.uk/book-recommendations/booklists/books-about-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-for-older-children/]

Book Trust: Books about refugees and asylum seekers for younger children [https://www.booktrust.org.uk/book-recommendations/booklists/books-about-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-for-younger-children/]

Scottish Book Trust: 10 picture books about refugees and migration [https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-lists/10-picture-books-about-refugees-and-migration]

Mental Health

Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre (CRMC) Advice Team [https://covrefugee.org/advice-team/]

Referral information for the NHS Refugee and Wellbeing Service [https://www.covwarkpt.nhs.uk/service-details/health-service/refugee-wellbeing-service-876/]

Extra Curricular Support

Positive Youth Foundation Involved: developed to support the integration of newly arrived refugee and asylum seeking young people. [https://www.positiveyouthfoundation.org/involved]

Resources for supporting Ukrainian pupils

For all schools welcoming pupils from Ukraine, the EMAS specialist advisory teacher team are available to offer new arrival support and advice.

We have compiled a list of useful resources, some of which are available in Ukrainian or Russian (which may be the home language of some of our Ukrainian pupils):

Background Reading

DFE Guidance Resources to help support children and young people arriving from Ukraine [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/helping-ukrainian-students-in-schools/resources-to-help-support-children-and-young-people-arriving-from-ukraine]

Language Support in the Classroom

PSHE Resources

Reading Resources

Unite for Literacy ebooks available in English and Ukrainian [https://www.uniteforliteracy.com/]

Story Books UK (online stories in Ukrainian and other languages) [https://global-asp.github.io/storybooks-uk/stories/fa/]

WorldStories (online stories in Ukrainian and Russian and other languages) [https://worldstories.org.uk/library]

Mantra Lingua (purchasable dual language story books in Ukrainian and Russian and other languages) [https://uk.mantralingua.com/]

Twinkl (paid for website but includes EAL resources with home language translations such as survival English fans and so on) [https://www.twinkl.co.uk/]

The Coventry Schools Library Service offers the opportunity to loan dual language books and books on the theme of sanctuary [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/schools-library-resource-service]

Parents

Continued Education in First Language

More suggestions can be found in this information guide [https://www.coe.int/en/web/children/-/resources-supporting-ukrainian-children-s-right-to-education] prepared by the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (available in Ukrainian and English).

EMAS - general enquiries

Address: Coventry City Council
PO Box 7097
Coventry
CV6 9SL

Telephone: 024 7697 5491 [tel:02476975491]

EMAS - teacher enquiries

Address: PO Box 15
Council House
Earl Street
Coventry
CV1 5RR

Telephone: 024 7697 5491 [tel:02476975491]

Resources for supporting Afghan pupils

For all schools welcoming pupils from Afghanistan, the EMAS specialist advisory teacher team are available to offer new arrival support and advice.

We have compiled a list of useful resources, some of which are available in either Pashto or Dari, the two main languages spoken in Afghanistan. You may find that some Dari speakers can understand Farsi, as this is a similar language to Persian.

Background reading

Parent Partnership resources

Induction

Education Above All 'My Host Country' Induction Booklets for 6-7 year olds (English, Dari and Pashto) [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8422/my-host-country-booklet-for-6-to-7-year-olds-english], 8-10 year olds (English and Pashto) [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8423/my-host-country-booklet-age-8-to-10] and 11-16 year olds (English and Pashto) [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8424/my-host-country-booklet-age-11-to-16]

PSHE resources

Reading and teaching resources

Refugee Week 2025

Community is the incredible everyday. Ordinary and extraordinary. Simple acts of shared generosity. Kindness multiplied to become an unstoppable force!

“We can begin the process of making a community wherever we are. We can begin by sharing a smile, a warm greeting, a bit of conversation; by doing a kind deed or by acknowledging kindness offered to us.”- bell hooks

Communities can bring people together. Bridging divides and offering support. Spaces of resilience and places for healing. 

This Refugee Week, everyone is invited to spend time with friends and build new connections in and beyond our neighbourhoods. From communal meals and open-air film screenings, to football matches and music making, let’s share the feelings of welcome and belonging. Listening, learning, laughing together.  

It’s amazing what we can do when we move together towards a shared goal. So let’s redefine and rediscover our collective power to shape hopeful futures and begin by practising, celebrating and rehearsing it every day.

Join us for Refugee Week [https://refugeeweek.org.uk/theme-of-refugee-week-2025-community-as-a-superpower/], 16–22 June 2025, and together let’s unleash the superpower of community.

Superhero Cape project

It was lovely to see so many Coventry school pupils contribute to the Superhero Cape project organised jointly by EMAS and the Coventry Migration Team. Pupils from four schools participated: Coundon Court School, Sidney Stringer Academy, Little Heath Primary School and St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School by sending in individually decorated fabric squares which were then sewn together by the Carriers of Hope Sewing Group into a superhero cape that was exhibited during Refugee Week at Friargate, The Central Library, The Council House and The Herbert.

Three school children holding up a colourful blanket

A colourful blanket being worn over the shoulders of a young man.

Refugee Week school event at Warwick Arts Centre

For the third year running, schools came together at Warwick Arts Centre to celebrate Refugee Week by taking part in a variety of workshops. Pupils from Charter Primary School, Little Heath Primary School, St Anne's Catholic Primary School, John Gulson Primary School and Westwood Academy spent the day learning about Refugee Crisis from the University of Warwick Unicef Society, taking part in a movement workshop with Sam Strachan and working together to create a collaborative bread sculpture with Tereza Buskova. Staff and pupils commented on the day:

"We all loved it so much - so valuable for the children and such a great range of activities - with the thread of empathy and community woven through all."​

“We were able to be artistic and create our own unique sculpture.”​

“The drama workshop should have been longer!”​

“Imagining leaving our home and only being able to pack a 5 kg made us evaluate what was most important in our lives.” â€‹

“It was good to find out where we could donate food, toys and games and clothes locally to help refugees.”​

School children around a table.

School children watching a presentation

How to take part

To share any of the work that your school has completed this Refugee Week, please upload it to our School or Sanctuary padlet. [https://padlet.com/michelleandrews7/coventry-schools-of-sanctuary-llb6ck2q60xtg5nv] To find out more about how you can become involved, look out for our Refugee Week briefing [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/ethnic-minority-achievement-service-emas/continued-professional-development-cpd] in March 2026.

Refugee Week 2024

Refugee Week [https://refugeeweek.org.uk/] takes place every year across the world in the week around World Refugee Day on the 20 June; in 2024, Refugee Week is 16-22 June 2024. In the UK, Refugee Week is a nationwide programme of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contribution of refugees to the UK, and encourages a better understanding between communities.

EMAS are striving to support teachers and pupils in celebrating Refugee Week in schools and settings by holding or attending local events, carrying out simple acts or joining in with the Day of Welcome celebrations. In Spring 2024, we shall we holding an online training session regarding ideas and inspiration for Refugee Week 2024 to help with your in-school planning as well as to raise awareness of the journeys made and experiences encountered by refugees and asylum seekers.

Watch this space for any local events that are planned for Coventry pupils to attend. Last year, we supported a Refugee Week event at Warwick Arts Centre [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/ethnic-minority-achievement-service-emas/celebrating-diversity-schools].

Refugee Week 2023, Warwick Arts Centre

Refugee Week logoRefugee Week [https://refugeeweek.org.uk/] takes place every year across the world in the week around World Refugee Day on the 20 June; this year, Refugee Week was 19th-25th June 2023. In the UK, Refugee Week is a nationwide programme of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contribution of refugees to the UK, and encourages a better understanding between communities.

The theme for Refugee Week 2023 was compassion.

For Refugee Week’s 25th anniversary, we invite you to celebrate what compassion looks like in action. Together we can create a shared understanding of compassion to ensure we are extending it widely to all.

“Our task must be to free ourselves – by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”

Albert Einstein

Refugee Week Website [https://refugeeweek.org.uk/theme-of-refugee-week-2023-compassion/]

Refugee Week School Event at Warwick Arts Centre

As part of our Refugee Week celebrations, Coventry young people, from a mixture of backgrounds, attended a day of arts-based workshops arranged in collaboration between Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS) and Coventry City Council Migration Team. Pupils from Lyng Hall School, The Westwood Academy and Cannon Park Primary School came together to explore this year’s theme of compassion and what it means to be a refugee in today’s society. They took part in a movement workshop provided by Ascension Dance exploring compassion, unity and the ‘other’ through movement and dance techniques as well as a printmaking workshop run by Niall Singh where students designed and created their own alternative flags using a monoprint technique.

Pupils new to learning English, from Westwood Academy, expressed their enjoyment, “We make a flag – that was hard but happy”.

Discussing the topic of compassion and unity, student ambassadors suggested, “Patience is the key to relief” – (Arabic proverb) and “Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it”.

A further secondary pupil from Lyng Hall School explained, "We went to Warwick Arts Centre today because it was Refugee Day and we wanted to learn about what is compassion and unity. When people come from different countries you show compassion and can relate to them."

Finally, a Year six pupil from Cannon Park Primary commented, ‘I had a chance to express myself using colour and learned about the life of a refugee. This class trip really brightened my day!’ 

View the photos from the day on Flickr [https://www.flickr.com/photos/coventrycc/sets/72177720309574725].

Placeholder

Refugee Week 2022, Southfields Primary School

This year, the theme of Refugee Week [https://refugeeweek.org.uk/theme-of-refugee-week-2022-healing/] is ‘Healing’.

‘Through creativity and conversations, Refugee Week 2022 is a celebration of community, mutual care, and the human ability to start again.

Healing means recovering from a painful experience or situation, so that we can continue to live. No-one understands this better than those who have lost their homes and had to build new lives from scratch. We have much to learn from refugees about holding onto hope when going on seems impossible – as well as about how art, creativity and community can help us to heal.  Those going through the asylum system also know that healing is an ongoing process, made harder by poverty, housing difficulties and the threat of being detained or deported. Asking for change, so that refugees can truly feel safe, is an act of care.

Whether it’s about looking after ourselves and each other at difficult times, overcoming political divisions or coming together to fight for the survival of our shared planet, healing matters to all of us. '

Retrieved from the Refugee Week website [http://refugeeweek.org.uk/theme-of-refugee-week-2022-healing/], 2022

In the classroom

Southfields Primary school participated in Refugee Week 2022 by working collaboratively to produce art installations, sending messages of welcome and solidarity to their diverse school community. Children across the school explored refugee stories which inspired them to create this work [https://twitter.com/southfieldsweb?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor].

Following the project, Year 6 pupils shared the words with their headteacher, "No matter what culture you are, you fit into the school". "People are respectful about skin colour and backgrounds".

Art display close up

Dream handprint

Gark

Hello art

Home collage

Protect collage

Safe art

Safe collage

Send a message

If your school or setting has participated in Refugee Week 2022 then please contact us [mailto:emasteachers@coventry.gov.uk] so that we can share what you have achieved.

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