Experiences of education among minority ethnic groups in Northern Ireland
Published on 1 January, 2023.
This study aimed to address the gap in research on the experiences of education among minority ethnic children and parents in Northern Ireland (NI), and adopted four objectives: ϭͿ To explore how minority ethnic families select schools for their children and the circumstances that inform these decisions. ϮͿ To examine children͛s and parents͛ experiences of school life and school engagement. ϯͿ To investigate children͛s and parents͛ views of the NI curriculum and its delivery, including support for English and heritage languages. ϰͿ To provide evidence and recommendations for policy and practice to improve the educational experience of minority ethnic groups. To address these objectives, the research comprised a review of literature, government- and schoollevel policy and data concerning education among minority ethnic groups in NI; qualitative interviews with 62 children aged 9-15 (30 female and 32 male) and 53 parents (41 female and 12 male) from diverse minority ethnic backgrounds across the region; and interviews and focus groups with 43 stakeholders, including educators, policymakers and representatives of statutory and voluntary agencies that work with minority ethnic communities.