New research from the Education Policy Institute (EPI), supported
by Unbound Philanthropy, finds that asylum-seeking children who
enter the UK separated from their parents are on average over
three years behind non-migrant children at school by the time
they take their GCSEs.
The new EPI working paper, which is the first ever study to
examine the educational outcomes of the majority of
asylum-seeking and refugee pupils in England, estimates their
school attainment and considers absence and exclusion rates.
To date, very little has been known about the outcomes of
unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, resettled refugees or
asylum support children who enter the English school system, as
the government does not record the progress of these pupils.
To estimate the educational outcomes of this highly vulnerable
pupil group, many of whom have experienced acute trauma,
researchers at EPI developed a methodology that combines
administrative datasets with national statistics and data
obtained through freedom of information requests to the Home
Office.
The considerable gap in attainment between unaccompanied
asylum-seeking pupils and non-migrant children of 37.4 months is
estimated by researchers to be similar in size to the gap for
pupils with special needs and disabilities who have the most
severe needs.
The new report also reveals that unaccompanied asylum-seeking
children experience higher rates of fixed period school
exclusions (7.1%) than non-migrant children (5.2%), as well as
slightly higher school absence rates of 6.8% compared to 6.6% for
non-migrant children.
In contrast to unaccompanied children, resettled refugee children
and asylum-seeking children living with family members in receipt
of financial support from the government, are estimated to
experience a much smaller school attainment gap on average, but
one that is still substantial – trailing their non-migrant peers
by around a year and a half (17.3 months) at GCSE.
Resettled refugee and asylum support recipient children are
however estimated to have higher school attendance rates than
non-migrant children, with 5% school absence rates compared to
the 6.6% for non-migrant children. Such pupils also have a
lower-than-average fixed period exclusion rate, at 4.4% compared
to the non-migrant average of 5.2%.
The new EPI findings on refugee and asylum-seeking children are
published as the Nationality and Borders Bill continues its
passage through the House of Commons. The Bill, which is
currently at the Report Stage, proposes significant changes to
how the UK immigration system responds to and supports
asylum-seekers and refugees.
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Key findings from the report
The school attainment of refugee and asylum-seeking
children
- Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) in England in
2016/17 were on average 37.4 months behind non-migrant
children across all GCSE subjects. This attainment gap is similar
in size to the gap experienced by children with special
educational needs and disabilities (SEND) with the most severe
needs (those in receipt of an Education, Health and Care Plan).
- Children who fall into the group of resettled refugee or
asylum-seeker in receipt of support were estimated to
be 17.3 months behind non-migrant children across all
GCSE subjects. Refugee and asylum-support children are estimated
to be similarly educationally vulnerable to children in the care
system with Child Protection Plans, or those who were
persistently disadvantaged over the course of their school
life.
The school absence and exclusion rates of
refugee and asylum-seeking children
- School absence rates for UASC pupils in Year 11 in 2017 were
on average 6.8%, compared with a 6.6% average for non-migrant
children. In contrast, resettled refugee or asylum
support children in Year 11 were estimated to be absent for 5% of
their time in school, compared to 6.6% for non-migrant
children.
- UASC experience higher rates (7.1%) of fixed period
exclusions than the non-migrant population (5.2%), while
resettled refugee or asylum support children are estimated to be
less likely to experience a fixed period exclusion
(4.4%).
- The picture is slightly different for permanent
exclusions: UASC have extremely low (near zero) levels of
permanent exclusion, and resettled refugee or asylum support
children have an estimated permanent exclusion rate of 0.04%,
which was lower than the 0.11% for non-migrant
children.
Commenting on the new study, Jo Hutchinson, report author
and a Director at the Education Policy Institute (EPI),
said:
“For the very first time, our research has estimated the
educational outcomes of refugee and asylum-seeking children in
England. While these children have very large school attainment
gaps and higher exclusion rates, they are often still
invisible to the system when it comes to education. It is
deeply concerning that the government does not follow the
progress of these pupils, and that they receive very little
support compared to other highly vulnerable groups. We need
to see the government do far more to prioritise the needs of
refugee and asylum-seeking pupils.”
