Ukraine - Special Meeting on Early Years, Education and Schools Issues
FAO: All Schools & Academies - All Phases
St. Mary’s Ukrainian school has presented information regarding how they are offering support to Ukrainian families.
St Mary’s Ukrainian school is a Saturday supplementary community school, located on the premises of the Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Holland Park. The school is open for 40 academic Saturdays a year plus some extra Saturdays and Sundays for community events. The school provides an academic curriculum for children from the ages of 5 to 16 year-olds.
St. Mary’s is one of the largest Ukrainian community schools in the UK, promoting the Ukrainian language and culture to over 1000 children; due to the current situation the numbers are increasing. The school orginally had places for a maximum of 250 children.
The school is currently supporting mainly mothers with school applications for primary and secondary schools placements.
They offer ESOL classes to parents across 16 weeks for 2 hours per week.
The children have and are experiencing post traumatic syndrome – the school is supporting this by providing a structure, routine and art therapy.
DfE updates and requested from LA’s
DfE - To review what is being published on their website regarding quality first teaching. This is going to be reviewed over the summer.
DfE are working with DWP with regards to families accessing public funding including being eligible for two year old funding. Access to funding is being reviewed as families have no access to any financial support for school uniforms and are not eligible for free school meals.
Request - Oyster cards requested from TFL to support families to travel.
The home office are relocating families and children once they have been offered a place, which is very unsettling. Schools are providing funding for school uniforms and resources.
Christiana Kromidias
Early Years Manager
School & Early Years Improvement Service
Email: christiana.kromidias@enfield.gov.uk