Accessing further education and other services

Education at schools and further education (FE) colleges in the public sector between the ages of 16 and 18 is free for refugees, as it is for UK nationals. Further information about the entitlement of refugee children and young people can be obtained from the Children’s Legal Centre. The Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC) Funding Guidance for Further Education gives information about fees for FE courses.

Government policy is to improve staying on rates and enrolment into post-16 education. Ambitious targets have been set to increase participation.

The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 makes it unlawful to discriminate directly or indirectly against applicants for school sixth-form or college places on the basis of their race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins.

Race relations legislation area of the QCA Pathways to learning for new arrivals website offers information on this.

Enrolling on courses quickly and receiving appropriate support helps refugee young people have a daily routine where they feel safe, make friends and achieve. For many refugees, schools and colleges are places where they can obtain important information about local services and ways to obtain further support.

By accessing FE, refugee young people can therefore get help with their immediate needs and start the process of integration.

Recognising that refugee students often arrive outside normal admission times, schools and colleges have developed effective strategies for supporting their access and enrolment. These include allowing students access to different types of provision so that they can secure pathways to higher education and employment.

Schools and colleges have developed a range of additional strategies to respond to the sometimes complex needs of refugee students. By multi-agency working schools and colleges can ensure that refugee students get the help they need to integrate and thrive.

Many school sixth-forms and colleges provide a wide range of additional activities and opportunities for enrichment and study support. Through involvement in these activities, refugee young people have extra opportunities to make friends, catch up with learning and integrate into their local community.