by Sofia

As a child who was forced to leave my country because of the war, I know how children like me feel at first when they are in a new environment. It is important for teachers and children who have refugees from different countries in their classrooms not to be afraid to talk to us, to be interested in our lives and to help us understand British education.

When I came to my English school, many teachers and children did not know how to best help, and we felt a little bit like outsiders. It was only a few months after I started school that I understood what GCSEs were and what they were for. So I think it’s important to talk to these kids and give them a little bit of attention to keep their progress in line with others.

It is very difficult to adapt to a new mentality of language and habits, but it is also very difficult to live with the idea that as soon as my visa expires I will have to go back. Many children do not have this option because their homes have been destroyed or occupied. It’s very difficult to make plans for the future when you don’t know what might happen next year to you and your family, where you will be and whether everything will be okay.

So I think it is important for these children and young people to know that they will not be expelled as soon as their visa expires and they will be able to finish their studies and then return to their homeland and help develop it. The support of both the state and local residents is very important to us.

Knowing that you are welcome here makes everything much easier.