As Britain engages in welcoming Ukrainian refugees, Redmaids’ High School for Girls in Bristol has opened up places for four Ukrainian refugee students this term.
In the first instance, headteacher Paul Dwyer’s aim has been to create a sense of normality. Recognising what experiences his new students may have been through, he feels that simply being in a classroom in age-appropriate company is the best starting point.
It’s important not to overwhelm these girls, as they are thrust into a foreign cultural and linguistic environment, whilst continuing to live their lives under the shadow of recent trauma, on-going conflict and absent fathers.
“The aim has been to create a sense of normality.”
Secondly, Paul emphasises the need for flexibility. As his teaching staff get to know their new students, they have been able to structure individual timetables to meet individual needs. A student of Year 11 age has been best served by spending the summer term in Year 10, although September may see her jump directly into the Sixth Form, where there is an emphasis on a personalised timetable of subjects for all students.
Younger students have benefited from a timetable weighted towards practical subjects – art, sport and drama. Russian is taught at the school and, notwithstanding a sensitive conversation with parents or guardians and the girls themselves, joining classes in this familiar language has helped the girls to feel comfortable and confident in their new environment.
Even cookery has been employed, with food technology classes exploring Ukrainian ingredients and cuisine enabling a cultural exchange. Each of the four students has benefitted from individual EAL assessments and specialist support.
“Teachers have learnt more about the girls’ abilities through the ‘universal language’ of maths.”
Staff with TEFL qualifications have enjoyed the new challenge of creating individual classroom resources to share with colleagues. Teachers have learned more about the girls’ abilities through what Paul describes as the “universal language” of maths, helping the school to make plans for placing girls in the most appropriate classes as the language barrier begins to subside.
A flexible response is key to supporting the Ukrainian students’ well-being on an individual level. Paul is aware that emotional triggers may occur, in a very individual way, which is difficult to pre-empt. He says: “It’s complex, because in many instances the language may mean that they’re not actually able to articulate what a trigger is, in terms of what they have experienced, or what they are experiencing.”
Equally, Paul says, unexpected emotional trigger-points can lead to distress for all students, and the school’s existing pastoral structures are ready to respond with sensitive strategies and procedures. Individual, wrap-around pastoral care is something that the school takes very seriously for all.
“You look at the pandemic, climate change, the war in Ukraine – there’s a sense of powerlessness that’s overwhelming.”
Redmaids’ High is keenly aware of the need to support existing students to understand, in an age-appropriate context, the war in Ukraine. For those girls hosting refugee families, the experience could become intense: as Paul acknowledges, the girls themselves are “so conscientious about how they can best support their Ukrainian counterparts.”
Paul recognises that the news headlines are challenging for our teenagers: “You look at the pandemic, climate change, the war in Ukraine – there’s a sense of powerlessness amongst our students that’s overwhelming.”
It has been important to provide safe spaces in which the students can explore their ideas. Everyone has had assemblies and history lessons to ensure age appropriate understanding of the situation. Additionally, optional sessions have been available for students to drop into, providing a space for individual questions to be unpacked.
“Weekly current affairs discussions are a regular feature at the school.”
The school put together a panel of history, politics, language and philosophy teachers so that students could come along and ask questions about the historical context and the wider implications of the war in Ukraine. Weekly current affairs discussions are a regular feature at the school, and have become another avenue through which to support all students’ understanding of conflict and refugee status on a personal and political level.
Paul stresses that it’s important to recognise and validate all points of view, and that “for some students, it’s still a valid response that they switch the TV off, it’s just not something they can face.”
The school checks in regularly with those girls, and their parents, who are acting as “buddies” to new Ukrainian students. Feedback from host families, as well as refugee families, has to be part of the pastoral picture. So far, Paul observes that “everyone’s in a really nice space”. However, he is also aware that, as language barriers fall away and relationships begin to warm up, more stories may come out, more experiences may be shared. The host girls could become confidantes. It’s important that students feel supported to pass on confidential information in a way that safeguards all those involved.
“As language barriers fall away and relationships begin to warm up, more stories may come out.”
Redmaids’ High is joining up with the local community to create further opportunities for supporting Ukrainian refugee families. The school is providing accommodation for a Ukrainian refugee family through Westbury Welcome, a volunteer organisation which works with refugee families in cooperation with Bristol City Council. It’s hoped that the daughter of this family will attend the school from September.
Some teachers and parents are involved in language and familiarisation hubs through working with local churches. Paul ensures that the school gives regular feedback to Bristol City Council, in an open dialogue about what they can provide. Through the Bristol Educational Partnership, Paul is working with four other independent schools in the area to create a language hub and pool resources as further needs arise.
“Despite the harrowing context, positive relationships have flourished.”
Looking towards September, Paul emphasises the importance of listening to feedback and staying flexible. There is a sense of hope, too: despite the harrowing context, positive relationships have flourished and pre-conceived ideas have been challenged. As Paul acknowledges, “This situation has helped us to understand each other and to engage with the world beyond our doorstep on a deeper level.”
The future for Ukrainian refugee families is uncertain. But, as Paul concludes, “Given the tragic circumstances of this war, continuing to offer support for Ukraine is the least we can do.”
