There are significant numbers of minority ethnic pupils in schools across England. Minority ethnic pupils from overseas have diverse needs, and may experience formidable barriers to learning.

The 'Who are international new arrivals?' area of this site introduces their diverse background experiences. Significant numbers of new arrivals will be new to English. The 'English as an additional language' area of this site provides guidance on teaching these pupils.

The national curriculum is the starting point for planning a school curriculum that meets the needs of individuals and groups of pupils. The 'Teaching and learning' area of this site provides guidance on classroom strategies that promote the inclusion of newly arrived pupils from overseas.

The Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant

The Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG) is a key source of additional funding available to schools and local authorities for the support of minority ethnic pupils. EMAG-funded staff are frequently deployed to support the integration and achievement of new arrivals.

Ofsted's report The education of asylum-seeker pupils recognised the vital role school staff funded by the EMAG played in supporting asylum-seeking pupils and their families. Teaching was at its most effective where there was close collaboration, planning and support between class teachers and EMAG staff.

Managing the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant - good practice in primary schools

Managing the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant - good practice in secondary schools

As part of its 'Aiming high: raising the achievement of minority ethnic pupils' strategy, the DCSF in conjunction with Ofsted produced case studies of schools which manage their EMAG funding effectively

School planning for use of the EMAG

When planning for the achievement of international new arrivals from minority ethnic groups, schools might therefore consider:

• any differential achievement between ethnic groups across phases
• the attainment of pupils for whom English is an additional language
• the current deployment of staff and other resources and the relative effectiveness of that provision in relation to identified needs, including the need for in-service training.

Key objectives might include those that:

• target support to underachieving minority ethnic groups, including pupils new to English and pupils experiencing mobility; relatively small minority groups must not be overlooked
• ensure that specialist teachers and other staff employed through the EMAG develop their expertise and that mainstream class and subject teachers, classroom assistants and nursery nurses have the skills to provide for linguistic diversity and to implement strategies to raise minority ethnic pupil attainment
• support national strategies
• support the overall target of raising attainment through, for example, home/school liaison or links with the community, or the particular strategies needed to support vulnerable groups such as refugees.

EMAG-funded staff

Schools could consider how their staffing structures can enable minority ethnic pupils to achieve. Many schools retain a balanced programme of support for pupils using English as an additional language, including both specialist teachers and bilingual assistants.

Staff roles have been further developed in a variety of ways, including to:

• improve information-sharing and analysis
• target support to new arrivals and respond flexibly to their needs
• identify areas of underachievement across the curriculum and develop critical interventions through partnerships
• improve home/school support and multi-agency responses to the wider needs of vulnerable pupils and their families
• promote family and after-hours learning.

Aiming high and changes to EMAG allocations

Three Ofsted reports conclude that raising the achievement of minority ethnic pupils is most successful in schools that create an inclusive community. Inspectors found that those schools that use the funding most effectively also have a strong commitment to equal opportunities, value cultural diversity, challenge racism, and work closely with parents and the wider community. All of the schools are dedicated to an ethos of high achievement.

Aiming high: supporting effective use of EMAG provides guidance on how LAs and schools can use the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant most effectively to support bilingual pupils and minority ethnic pupils at risk of underachieving.

Further funding

Some schools have supported EMAG-funded work from their main school budgets or made use of the greater flexibility provided by other standards fund grants.

The Children's Services Grant includes what was the Vulnerable Children Grant. Its target groups can include asylum seekers and gypsy or traveller children.

Schools that enrol gypsy or Roma asylum seekers and refugees need to work in close partnership with traveller education teams. 

The grant should be used by LAs to develop strategic approaches to dealing with vulnerable children. It is focused on:

• looked-after children
• children unable to attend school because of medical needs
• gypsy or traveller children; asylum seekers
• young carers
• school refusers.

Case study

Educational provision for newly arrived children in Manchester

The attached case study shows how Manchester LA's EMA service, in partnership with a large number of local schools, use EMAG and Vulnerable Children Grant funding to provide a range of services to promote the inclusion of international new arrivals. Download the case study from the right-hand navigation bar. 

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