Education Support Worker, Oksanna, shares how her role has helped Ukrainian children displaced by war to continue their education in the UK.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has displaced millions, forcing families to flee their homes. The journey to a new home often comes with challenges, especially when it comes to education. Integrating into a new school, college or university while overcoming trauma, language barriers and adjusting to a new environment is no small feat.
My education support role, in the context of helping refugee children, has gone far beyond simply securing a place in a local school; I serve as a bridge between the family and the education system. My goal hasn’t just been about ticking a box or finding any available seat in a classroom, it has been about ensuring that we all collaborate to find the right environment, where the child’s strengths can be nurtured: an environment where they can grow not just academically but fulfil their dreams and aspirations. An environment which helps their emotional well-being and their sense of belonging. It was about advocating for a school that understands the unique challenges faced by a refugee child and a school that is sensitive to trauma.
Arriving in a new country with a different curriculum can be overwhelming for any child. To bridge this gap, I became a voice and earpiece for the Ukrainian families.
I was fortunate enough to support 3 Ukrainian 16-year-old students who arrived in Epsom in 2022 when the war first broke out. They were all too old to follow the GCSE programme and their English written and spoken language was not strong enough to pursue A-Levels. After much research, the schools that were eventually found took a leap of faith and felt compelled to help them on their educational journey. The 3 remarkable Ukrainians progressed through the secondary system and successfully completed their A-Level courses in the summer of 2024 and all three are now marching proudly into university life having achieved the necessary grades to further pursue their education. I am excited to see where their university education will take them and the career paths they embark on.
I have had the privilege to get to know several students who have achieved the necessary entry requirements to start their A-Level courses in sixth form schools and colleges. They should all feel extremely proud as they all arrived with limited English. The courage, the strength and resilience of these formidable students passing their GCSEs and moving into sixth form are nothing short of inspiring. Despite facing the trauma of displacement and adjusting to a new country, these students have shown extraordinary determination to continue their education and thrive academically. Their ability to overcome language barriers, adapt to a new curriculum, and excel speaks volumes about their unwavering spirit and dedication to building a brighter future against all odds.
Where to begin with students embarking in their GCSEs? We have several students who have begun the two years of studies leading to their GCSEs who have successfully overcome again a new language, a new culture and a new education system, and who are integrating wonderfully into the British school system. Imagine how hard GCSEs are to students when everything they learn is taught to them in a language which is not their mother tongue?
One thing this whole journey has taught me is how welcoming and willing to adapt British schools and their staff are. Whilst I am proud of the remarkable effort shown by all the Ukrainian children I am also proud and grateful of how the British schools and government of the UK have opened their arms and hearts to accept these displaced children and given them a place where they can thrive, not just survive, and that is helping them feel they belong and that still holds promise and opportunity for them.
