BME children in London: educational needs and the role of community organisations. (An evaluation of the education services of Day-Mer, Turkish and Kurdish Community Centre)

London’s diversity is reflected in its school population: almost 65% of pupils in primary and secondary schools are of ‘ethnic minority’ background. Over the years, research has shown that migrant and BME children and families face a number of obstacles, including limited English language, lack of knowledge of the British education system, racism and social exclusion. One of the consequences is the significant difference in terms of school achievement among pupils of certain backgrounds. Groups long considered underachievers include in particular Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Black Caribbean, although more recent studies have also identified similar educational problems among Somali and Turkish-speaking pupils.
In this respect, the role played by community organisations - including supplementary classes, schools support and parental engagement programmes - is highly valued by both families and teachers. Despite limited systematic evidence, research suggests the impact of these organisations is highly significant and more should be done to encourage partnership work between mainstream schools and community groups.
In the last few years, however, community organisations have faced a number of new challenges, including a dramatic reduction of public funding available and major changes in educational policy, such as the closure of the ‘Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant’ programme and the introduction of new models of schools increasingly independent from local authority control. In this new scenario it is more important than ever to learn from the experiences of these organisations in order to identify good practices and address issues of sustainability. This can inform policy makers and practitioners in ensuring that children from all ethnic backgrounds receive the educational support they need.
In Spring 2011 - building on previous research conducted at Middlesex University - Day-Mer and the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) came together to work on a research project on the educational needs of Turkish and Kurdish families in North London. The project focuses on Day-Mer’s experience to evaluate the effectiveness of its services, but is also builds on this case study to discuss more broadly the role of community organisations in providing educational support.