An Iranian refugee advocates for improved access and support for asylum-seeking students taking GCSE exams in the UK.
Her family waited two months for a school spot. Negar took charge and called four schools, but they rejected her. She visited schools and cried at one, after which, they offered her Year 10, a year behind.
After six months, she sat GCSEs in July 2021, which let her skip a year for college, even though she had no time to study. She took twelve tests in a week, covering English, math, and science.
Negar said she didn’t know the exams, taking them in a busy hallway. Despite this, she passed math and science anyway.
A report showed school access is hard for asylum seekers who arrive mid-year, as they often lack school spots. Housing changes add to the issue, and schools may not take latecomers.
Despite little preparation, Negar passed her GCSEs and college accepted her. She excelled in travel and tourism, winning an award, and now studies aerospace engineering.
Negar is proud she moved up a grade, given that schools can be inflexible with foreign students. She was a top student in Iran and she started UK school during lockdown online, also having to learn English.
Negar wants a pilot scholarship now and she wants to aid asylum seeker students. She hopes to ease their access to UK schools by creating an organization that would make education flexible.
The local council knows support is needed and helps new families find schools. They increased their team recently and will grow it again this year.
