Barriers to African parental involvement within the UK education system

Abstract

Even though students from African backgrounds have above-average education achievements in the UK, some students still struggle to integrate into the school systems. Parental involvement has been reported to have a significant influence on pupil achievement. Thus, this research aimed to identify parental involvement barriers experienced by African parents. The researcher conducted five focus group interviews with 32 black African parents living in the UK. The focus groups were both on Zoom and face-to-face. The participants immigrated to the UK from different parts of Africa as adults or in their late teenage years. The Africa ethos of collaboration and dialogue were utilised to help participants freely discuss their experiences. The approach was formed from an empowerment perspective, aiming to break the top-down barriers that hinder African parental involvement. Thematic analysis was used to reveal emerging themes. This study findings indicated cultural and structural factors that need addressing, such as prejudice from teachers, poor communication systems between schools and parents about the curriculum, and expectations for parents’ involvement. In addition, many parents voiced a lack of understanding of the school system, hindering their involvement. The issues identified in the study need to be acknowledged and addressed collaboratively by key players to enhance the best outcomes for children from black African families.

Introduction

As Nelson Mandela famously stated, ‘As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist, none of us can rest’ (quote cited by United Nations, 2020). Research evidence suggests that racism still plagues our society and the UK education system (Lander et al., 2015; Bhopal, 2018; Arday, 2019). Other studies reported that racial prejudice, low teachers’ expectations and a Eurocentric curriculum impact the experiences and achievement of ethnic minority students including black students (Parke et al., 2002: Demie, 2013). It is, therefore, significant that educators and education institutions engage with communities that have suffered marginalisation, specifically the black African families in the UK.

This study is particular to the author who is a black African immigrant from East Africa. The author’s curiosity was instigated after noticing several families from African backgrounds being victimised in some schools, leading to removal of children from those schools. The teachers often queried family practices such as use of English language and the discipline of the children. Even though the communication during these inquisitions was in English, some teachers appeared to have preconceived judgements. During such exchanges families were left feeling humiliated.

Speaking in other languages should not be perceived as deficit but should be encouraged, as Robertson et al. (2014). Silencing bilingualism, or multilingualism, in learning spaces becomes problematic since research has shown that multiple languages increase children’s knowledge, self-esteem and empathy for others (Burghardt et al., 2015; Cummins, 1984; DCSF, 2007; Parke et al., 2002). In this paper, I argue that the focus on English eloquence as a measure for learning could lead to ‘othering’ children and families from minority backgrounds. As a result, children from immigrant background are usually prescribed to English lessons as an additional language (ADL). Although the practice may be seen as an integration into the English system, I argue that parents who maybe competent in English as a second language, may feel that the practice is alienating their children. This language segregation is at the risk of reviving existing stereotypes towards certain groups, such as black African families. Unfortunately, multilingualism is still perceived as a deficit in learning spaces by some practitioners (Parke et al., 2002); however, it should be celebrated.

Giroux (1988) has argued that the power for emancipation is through representing lived experiences. This research aimed to recognise parental involvement barriers for black Africans who have migrated to the UK. The research is critical to enhancing the quality of education for students from black African backgrounds. The objective was to involve parents from black African backgrounds to reflect their experiences in the UK education, ranging from early years to secondary school level. According to Department for Education (DfE, 2011), parental involvement improves students’ achievement from all backgrounds. However, cultural barriers can hinder parental involvement due to preconceived prejudices and poor communication between the schools and parents, which, in the long run, could disadvantage students' learning (Corrado, 2022). Critiques of parental involvement practices have focused on a culturally specific nature, which at times hinders participation for the socially vulnerable groups such as immigrants and minorities (Akomaning-Amoh, 2018). There is a gap in research on the experiences of black African immigrants in the UK, which this study aimed to explore.

This paper focus on the research question below:

1. What barriers do African parents face in their involvement in the UK Education system?

Literature review

This section explores current conditions for black Africans in the global spaces, particularly in the UK. Some dominant negative stereotypes are engrained in the global narratives which seems to drive racism and discrimination in society, including in the education systems.

Structural conditions facing African households

In the UK, the percentage of black African population who have attained a higher degree has been higher compared to the white population. From 2015, over 40% of students from black backgrounds accepted a place in higher education compared to 29.3% of the white population (GOV.UK, 2023). Nevertheless, the representation of these black individuals in the job market compared to their white counterparts was very low and not reflective of their academic achievements (Gov.UK, 2021). Indeed, according to the UK parliament report, between 2016 and 2019, only 10% of the Black African population was in the top 5th income, whilst their white counterparts were over 20%. Evidently, there is a racial disparity between education achievement and income level. If there was equality in income, there should have been at least 20% of the black African population in the top 5th income.

Andrews (2015) stated that the unemployment of black men is high in the UK due to racism, leading to most black families living in poverty, with fewer resources to meet their needs. Andrews (2015) further reported that white households have average assets of £221,000, while the figure for black Caribbean homes is £76,000, for Bangladeshis £21,000 and for black Africans just £15,000. The staggering disparity concerning employment and education attainment requires further exploration.

Drawing from Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems (cited in Santrock-2003), the microsystem, which includes the family setting, has a significant impact on an individual’s overall health, wellbeing and education achievement (Mukherji, 2005; Underdown, 2006). Parental employment, family social class and social norms directly impact children’s education and life achievements. It is therefore imperative that black African families low economic status be acknowledged as a first step towards shedding light to racism and inequality which will impact black African families. The recommendations by the UK Government Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities (GOV.UK, 2022) stated that it is essential to build trust with BAME (Black Asian and Minority Ethnic) communities that have suffered inequality and racism in various structures, including education. Even with such recommendations from the UK government, the researcher for this study argues that clustering groups of people into the BAME category hinders some communities’ voices. Hence, this study is aimed to work with black African parents, to demystify issues around the BAME category.

African parents position in the UK

The views of the global North have dominated universal narratives and fundamentally undermined the global South (Corrado and Robertson, 2019; Twum-Danso Imoh and Okyere, 2020). These discourses dehumanise people from the global South by promoting stereotypical accounts in the media, politics and education. Black Africans have been the recipients of inhumane representations of their continent, culture and daily lives (Chimamanda, 2009). Unfortunately, these stereotypes lead to global ignorance which is detrimental to the participation in global spaces such as education, politics and leadership (Corrado and Robertson, 2019)

Education seems to reproduce global views, as Sepulveda et al. (2021) argued. In the UK school curriculum, for example, the KS1 (Key Stage 1) and EYFS (Early Years Foundation stage), African information in subjects like history, art and geography is generically taught despite the historical relations and ongoing engagements between the UK and Africa (Corrado, 2022). In the UK, some students of African backgrounds are impacted by the lack of balanced representation of their continent of origin (Africa). Most black pupils find some subjects irrelevant because of a lack of representation, or due to persistence negative discourses (Demie, 2013; Mantovani et al., 2017). Some of these black pupils may be affected psychologically and prone to mental health issues, leading to disengagement (Tang and Corrado, 2024). By including African parents’ voices and adopting a balanced outlook about their heritage in education, the change may address issues of alienation and low self-esteem and probably reduce the rate of dropouts in schools. Arday (2019) suggest a need to decolonise the curriculum in UK education since it is dominantly Eurocentric, alienating BAME groups. Nxumalo and Cedillo (2017) have advocated for 'thinking with people’s experiences through inclusivity. This research aimed to highlight the issues of African students in the UK education and further identified ways to help deal with the challenges. Perhaps decolonising the curriculum, increasing representation in education structures and involving parents will address the problems of attainment, mental health and wellbeing for African children (Corrado, 2022).

Arday (2019) has argued that there is a lack of representation for most minority communities in various ranks of educational structures. Other researchers such as Gholami and Costantini (2024) and Demie ( 2013) have further highlighted that the lack of representation have led to a lack of understanding of specific community challenges and ethos, leading to poor engagement with these groups. I argue that it is imperative that educators to promote equality and diversity policies in their education practice, to boost inclusiveness for all communities. Inclusion should start by listening to parental voices, which is the main aim of this project. Looking at the GCSE results in English and Maths (Gov.UK, 2022), the attainment for Black students African was at 52.2%. Still, when compared to other minority groups it below Chinese students with 69.2% and Indians 62%. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what the black parents think their children need to enhance their attainment. On the other hand, some students from black Africa backgrounds had a higher rate of exclusion. A good example is in the year between 2018 and 2019, there was 4.13% exclusions (Gov.UK, 2021). These exclusions maybe as a result of the issues discussed earlier; thus, parental voice is imperative.

Negotiating change

According to Tatum (1997) and Givens (2021) unheard groups are usually ‘minority’ communities. These groups feel oppressed in society when their voices are ignored. In the UK, categorising the minority groups in one group as BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds) is problematic. As noted earlier, many communities’ experiences, needs and expectations are overlooked when they are clustered into one group. This project is a space where BAME grouping does not apply, but specifically black African families are listened to. The author acknowledges that in Africa, there are diverse racial groups such as Black, Asians and white categories, but this study focussed on black African immigrants who are often under represented. Drawing from Freire’s ideology on the liberation of the oppressed, communities and individuals could liberate themselves through dialogue (Freire and Macedo, 1993). This research project creates dialogic spaces for parents of black Africans in the UK to talk with each other as a means of self-liberation. These dialogic spaces were formed from an empowerment perspective, breaking the top-down barriers.

Negotiating change means getting involved with communities, listening to their voices and making a difference beyond our particular communities. Howard et al. (2017) have argued that building good relationships within schools could improve pupils’ mental health and overall achievement. Consequently, it is imperative to create spaces for empathy, peace and respectful dialogues where all can formulate progressive plans (Corrado, 2022; Givens, 2021). Furthermore, citizenship is about having the information available to support individuals and communities (Brabazon, 2022). Hence, it is significant to listen to African communities, gather information and share it with various government and non-government bodies to enrich lives. This research reached out to the people who are often unheard. Hence, sharing this data is helpful for the inclusion of communities in education. Diverse experts (policymakers, teachers and academics) could use the data to enhance the work on decolonisation of the curriculum and review teaching and learning practices. The data may be helpful for schools that are working towards bridging the attainment gap for black African students.

Methodology

Freire (1972: 52) said, ‘Education is suffering from narration sickness’. Therefore, dialogue for self-liberation through dialogues of the oppressed is critical in education spaces to ensure all key players participate fairly in the system. Following the quoted inspiration by Freire, this study was designed to enable African parents to dialogue amongst themselves to voice their experiences in education. Dialogic approach is a bottom-up approach (Woods, 2006), where the voices of overlooked groups are listened to.

The study had five Focus group discussions. There was one Zoom focus group and four face-to-face focus groups. The participants were thirty-two Black African parents, who are currently living in the UK, but have migrated from the African continent as adults. They included 18 women and 14 Men. The participants were randomly invited to participate. The participants would have migrated from different parts of the African continent such as West Africa, East and South Africa. The author used African community UK platforms to invite the participants. Majority of the participants came from the Kenya community Rebuild UK outreach, which hosted the face-to-face focus groups in London. Nonetheless, the participants hailed from different parts of the UK. The author acknowledges that as an African immigrant in the UK has personal experiences and acquaintance with the African communities in the UK, which provided insiders views. Nevertheless, the data collected represented the voices of the participants. Furthermore, the project plan had gone through a rigorous ethical committee approval. Indeed, ethical consideration throughout planning and executing of the study were part of the process through utilising BERA (2018) guidelines. Thematic analysis was applied in the data analysis to obtain a deeper understanding of human experiences. (Flick, 2007, 2014). The emerging themes will be discussed in the next section.

Findings on barriers for Black African parents

Several themes emerged from the focus groups in relation to the barriers black African parents faced such as; poor communication, prejudice from schools, bullying and cultural change challenges. Overall, it was evident in the study that there are structural and social barriers that impact how black African families engage with the UK school system. Even so, African parents acknowledged that it was not just the schools’ responsibility to address issues identified but there was a need for families and communities to get involved.

Poor communication

Majority of the participants in this study had immigrated from Africa as adults; hence, they encountered different education systems. As a result, some parents struggled to understand the UK education system. Their experiences dealing with the UK schools were at times confusing and overwhelming. The challenges included the number of years in primary schools, secondary schools and in the A-levels. At the times, some parents were not aware of the process of choosing subject and courses for their children. In addition, they were not cognisant of the kind of exams their children needed to take at different levels of school system. The lack of information left these parents unprepared to support the children. The lack of this information disadvantaged the children, since their parents were unaware of the schools’ expectations and their own role in the system.

Majority of parents stated that in many schools there were no outlined systems to inform immigrant families on how to navigate the UK education system. These challenges incapacitated how these parents got involved in the system.

One parent said ‘The practice in UK, even in early years or, in Key stage 1 learning of subjects such as Mathematics and English is different’

The parent above explained that the experience of the UK system being different, for example, how the alphabets and phonics were pronounced. From this parent’s education background, even the way mathematics calculations were completed was different. The disparity created tension and confusion when the parent tried to support the child. Although, most of these African parents had good academic credentials, the difference in the system left them feeling frustrated. They wished there was an improved system of communication which would integrate new immigrant parents and their families into the UK system to enable their involvement.

As Howard et al. (2017) argued, for students to do better in education, the partnership between schools and parents and students is critical. Otherwise, if the parents are overlooked due to communication barriers, the student learning and engagement is disadvantaged. I would argue that poor communication maybe contributing to the increased suspension and exclusion of students from African backgrounds.

In the study, some of the participants raised the need for career guidance advisers in secondary schools to involve families. There is a need of openness as some parents noted. Parents could be able to communicate effectively with the schools for the best interest of the children. A parent in this study narrated of how a family was devastated by lack of effective communication when it came to choose of career pathways. This happened at secondary school level, where the parents had understood that the child was doing great; hence, they expected their child to join a good university. However, the parents were devastated to learn that their child had not been enrolled to join university despite having high grades, but had been signed on the apprentice route. One can only imagine the horror that followed, since the family had always expected their child to go to university. I argue that this kind of poor communication can lead to wasted aspirations and even to mental health issues for the children and even for their families. Some of these families could have immigrated with dreams to provide their children the best chances in education, only to find out that they failed to reach those aspiration due to lack of proper communication.

According to Givens (2021), it is critical for educators to show understanding through fostering effective communication with groups of people who are perceived as ‘others’. Otherwise, the lack of empathy will lead to poor teachers-parents relationships which will be detrimental to students learning. One parent in this study mentioned that when their family raised issues about their child, they were not believed, which left them feeling frustrated. Only to later learn that the issues had been liaised with SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) without consulting the family. These parents felt that the school did not value their input and their attempt to get involved was met with distrust. Another parent who is quoted below, narrated how she raised concern that the son appeared to be engaging well but she felt there were instances he needed additional support. However, the teachers dismissed the parent claims and questioned the support provided at home.

The parent said ‘I feel like I am defending myself when I raise issues about my son. I am not believed’.

Even so, there were parents who claimed that some schools had better communication strategies with the parents. These schools were approachable. Although, these ‘model’ schools with great practices were fewer, parents acknowledged the need for immigrant families to be oriented into the UK education system. The ‘model’ schools were reported to maintain frequent and effective communication with the parents. One parent highlighted, his experience, stating that when he moved his children from a state school to a private (public) school, the private schools were very supportive to the children and they positively engaged with the parents. Nonetheless, there were parents who also identified a few state schools that had good practices. It is evident that there is inconsistence in schools’ practices, on how they communicate and involve parents. However, there is room to learn from good practices where communication is well maintained between families and schools. As Department for Education (2011) recognised, parental involvement is key to children learning and attainment success; hence, it is vital to foster good communication between schools and Families.

Preconceived prejudice

In this study, it was unanimous that there was prejudice in many schools which affected how parents from African backgrounds got involved within the education system. Though disappointing, the outcome was not surprising, since other studies have shown that racism is prevalent in the UK structural system and in the society (Arday, 2019; Lander et al., 2015). Tatum (1997) argues that systematic racism is apparent in institutions when overt prejudiced cultural messages are engrained in policies and practices impacting how certain individuals or groups of people are treated.

One parent said ‘schools should listen to lived experiences and not pre-judge’

The African parent quoted above is among many others who reported that they experienced racism from teachers and the schools. Some parents specified that, some teachers either ignored them or talked down on them, especially when the parents’ raised issues. According to some parents, some teachers appeared to assume that parents did not comprehend the issues they raised, so they either ignored them, or interrogated them. This was evident in an earlier quote where the parent reported that they were not believed and they had to defend themselves.

According to African parents’ reports in this study, some schools made assumptions that the problems with children learning had originated from home, and had nothing to do with the school environment. For example, some parents claimed that the schools questioned African family set-ups when children were struggling academically. These parents felt that what they needed was additional support for the children who were struggling, instead of blaming their family set-up. From discussion with the parent, it was apparent there was gap in understanding issues raised by parents to the schools. Unfortunately, there was a lack of willingness from the schools to collectively address issues with the parents. hooks (1994) has argued that prejudice can hinder possibility to have transformative education for students. hooks (1994)) thereby reasons that consciousness of colonised groups and the oppression mentality from the oppressors could create barriers which need acknowledging and addressing. For the UK system, by identifying the communication barriers and unconscious bias about Africans could be a start to help interrogate behaviour and actions exposed. Unconfronted prejudice engrained in society and in education system drawbacks students from African backgrounds (Corrado, 2022).

Bullying issues

‘Since the schools were not dealing with bullying…’ parent said

Like the parent quoted above, bullying was a recurring issue that emerged in the data. Some parents felt that once they raised concerns on bullying, the schools did not address it appropriately. One parent discussed how their child was being bullied, but the intervention from the school was very poor. The parent voiced a lack of openness from the school. It was until the parents found out that their child was being bullied that they confronted the school to explain the situation. As noted in the quote below, one parent noticed unexplained injuries on the child, whilst no one was enlightening the family how the incidents occurred.

One parent said ‘.. my child had unexplained and suspicious injuries and the school wasn’t explaining?’

Following reports from Office of national statistic (2020), one in five children between age of 10 and 15 have reported of online bullying in England and Wales. However, three out of four of the children who had been bullied during school time. It is therefore apparent, that bullying is an issue which schools need to address. Bullying has detrimental impact on children’s mental health leading to poor attainment in learning. In addition, bullying could lead to long term emotional and social impact on the victims; therefore, it warrants immediate actions (Gini and Pozzoli, 2009; Källmén and Hallgren, 2021; Lereya et al., 2015). According to the mental health charity Place2be (2024), 1 in 10 children who experience mental health issues are suspended from school. I argue that if bullying is not dealt with, it may cause emotional and mental health issues, and probably lead to suspension or exclusion of some children from schools. The latter could relate to the 4.13% children from black African backgrounds suspended from school (GOV.UK, 2021). Lander et al. (2015) has stated that children from black backgrounds experience racism frequently in schools. I argue that the bullying maybe related to racism in schools and probably the lack of action as well. Nevertheless, bullying should be addressed by schools to improve learning experiences of Black African students.

Culture change

We are living in a global fluid world with increased migration. Migration is a real phenomenon for many Africans who move from their countries to settle in the UK for various reasons such as; in search of higher education, work, tourists or as refugees. Currently Africans consists almost 1.5 million people, who are 2.5% of the UK population (Gov.UK, 2022). Nevertheless, there are massive complexities with moving abroad which many immigrants have to navigate including the participants in this study who immigrated from different African countries. Majority of the parents participating in this study initially studied in Africa, then moved to the UK in their late teens or in their early twenties for work or higher education. Most of them have settled in the UK and have young families. As a result, they find themselves confronted with the everyday challenges of being an immigrant parent.

As noted, earlier prejudice about immigrants, especially those from the African continent impact how these individuals integrate into the society. Arday (2019) argued that integration, social mobility and career progression are not just determined by individual efforts, but are a result of how the others perceive them. The response is hidden in the structural systems when individuals are accessing public services such healthcare, employment and education among others. From this study, it was evident that most African parents struggled to actively engage in the school system and in the society. As noted earlier, they faced prejudice which hindered them from climbing the employment ladder. Thus, they were forced into lower income jobs leading their families to live in the lower social income areas (Andrews 2015; Gov.UK, 2023). As a result, some schools and councils in those areas have inadequate facilities limiting children experiences.

One parent said ‘.. There are economic struggles when you move to the UK, such as you have to work several jobs, you have to pay for your visa and sometimes you have no enough time for Parents teachers meetings (PTA) … but the teachers think you do not care..’

Another parent said ‘.. sometimes, they do not understand you need to work to pay for your visa and other needs..’

The parents quoted above summarised some of the struggles many immigrant families go through as noted earlier. They have low paying jobs and yet they have to meet the family demands. When they are unable to attend PTAs, they are met with judgement instead of understanding. The predicament could be due schools poor understanding of the kind of pressures immigrants families go through, since their voices are disregarded as noted earlier.

Some African parents in the study noted that when it was possible to improve their income, they moved to affluent regions to access better school opportunities. The move appeared to bring massive difference with the necessary support for their children. Although, research have shown that there is a difference between the kind of education children from diverse economic status access. I argue that the UK government should support their assertion that ‘every child matter’ (GOV.UK, 2009 ), by provide high quality education for all children despite their economic status. Indeed, decent education should be upheld, so that children rights to learning and self-determination can be achieved (UNCRC, 1989). From this study, it was evidence that families who are starting off life in the UK, their children were disadvantaged with the kind of education they received. There was a lack of support or understanding of the issues these families faced. I argue, since these African parents are part of the UK population and they contribute to the UK economy through service and taxes, their children too deserve to access outstanding education as UK citizens (Brabazon, 2022; Corrado and Tang, 2023).

Another major issue for the African parents was lack of understanding of the school system as earlier discussed. Looking at the parents’ life experiences, there were differences in practice between Africa school systems and the UK system. The differences identified were curriculum, methods of teaching, grading system, career pathways and schools’ expectations on parental involvement. Most parents from African backgrounds stated how their own parents in Africa were not too much involved with the daily. In Africa, most parents just provided basic support such as, paid school fees, bought books and made sure the children went to school. The rest of the work was completed by teachers and students in schools, and any extra tuition the parents paid for private tutors during holidays. As a result, most Africans when they move to the UK, they are unaware of extra expectations which create a gap in their involvement. However, these parents lack of participation is misconstrued by the schools as a lack of interest in their children’s education.

One parent stated ‘ Lack of African parents in PTA, school board of governs hip makes schools think we are not interested’

Another parent said ‘.. my children are older now, but for my grandchildren I want us (black African parents) to get involved in the school as governors, we can speak for our children’

Dealing with special needs

A parent with a child with special needs said ‘.. This is a big issue (special needs), there is a barrier between schools and parents, I would prefer to take the child to a private school because in the state school it is a long battle’

The parent quoted above, explained the struggle for their family while trying to get support for their child with special needs. The parent said there was little support in a state school. From the discussion, it was apparent that private schools provided better support to children especially to those with special needs. According to the UK Children’s commissioner (2024) report, children with special needs are not getting the support they need and the waiting time is longer especially for children from minority backgrounds. Other parents acknowledged that within the African communities the challenges around special needs were not openly discussed. Sometimes the issues around special needs and learning difficulties were misunderstood within the African communities and hence the silences. Some parents felt that their situations left them in isolation. Still, other parents noted that there was support and resources available in some schools and from the councils, but some African parents were unaware of these resources.

Some African parents of children with special needs struggled with isolation. The needs of the children could be very demanding, especially to parents who are trying to survive in a new country. Some parents had never come across such situations, and they may not have support needed from their communities. Furthermore, these parents may not beware of the support available such as funding, counselling, resources accessible, etc. It is critical that these parents and their children are supported by all those around them. Schools and communities could be first point of help.

On the other hand, some of the African parents discussed that their own learning and life difficulties made it hard to participate in their children learning. It was clear, that their African systems of education at the time of learning had not identified some underlying learning difficulties which challenged their own learning, for example, dyslexia, dyscalculia or even mild autistic. As a result, they silently struggled to support their children with homework and other hand on activities.

Ainscow et al. (2013) emphasised that children with special needs warrant supportive learning environments where they feel included rather than excluded. Families need support and good working relationship with school to enable them to provide the right care, love and education for their children. Parents may need guidance on how to access resources and funding available as many parents asserted in this study. However, some families find it very challenging to negotiate government support and education system as reported by the Guardian (2022). These challenges are exceptionally difficult for families from minority ethnic background (Tan et al., 2017); hence, this was similar for African families as noted by the parents in this study. However, the Ofsted report asserted that when schools and families work well to support children with special needs, they can do well in education (Gov UK, 2021).

Lack of mentorship and parenting styles

As an old African saying states ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. Sadly, most parents immigrating from Africa had experienced collaborative ethos from their cultural backgrounds through the concept of Harambee where family life is a collective lifestyle (Corrado, 2019). However, most Africans upon moving abroad they find themselves in a culture of individualism. The change posture a big challenge for most, leadings to feelings of isolation. Hence, there is a need for comradeship and mentorship as it emerged from this study. Nonetheless, the concept of a village according to Reupert et al. (2022) could relate to Bronfenbrenner ecological systems, where all systems from microsystem (of family and communities and schools) impact learning progress of the child as well as exosystem and macro system such as government policies and council funding among others.

Many parents during the focus groups stated that there was a need to have other parents within their African communities in the UK to foster support. It was evident that there is a sense of isolation, especially when parents were trying to access information about schools, or when they are requirement for additional resources to support children with challenging conditions such as disabilities, SEN (Special Education Needs), bullying and learning difficulties among others. Majority of black African parents stated that they would appreciate guidance from people within their communities. The support could come from their religious groups such as churches, and mosques or other groups set in terms of African countries.

African way of life in many countries is of collaboration and extended family based (Corrado, 2019). When parents find themselves faced with challenges with no extended families, most of them struggle. If such struggle is then met with a lack of understanding and poor support by the schools, then the issues could intensify. The author argues that acculturalisation and isolation could lead to issues of mental health within African families which would make environment for children learning even more difficult diminishing children’s self-determination.

When families are feeling isolated, this will have an impact on the children’s self-esteem and confidence. Tatum (1997) in her book on ‘Why some black children sit together in the cafeteria’ argues that the self-identity and feeling of isolation in society will make these students want to stay away from other. Still, the sense of solidarity with others who have gone through struggles may be a positive progress if these students are mentored. Teachers and schools should not perceive the unity of these children from African background as a problem, but as a collegiality which can be positively mentored. The parent quoted below, noted how the unity of black boys (children) can be questioned by teachers instead of supporting it. Thus, it is important for parents to get involved to raise issues that teacher might have overlooked but they affect the Black African children.

One parent said ‘…when the (teachers) saw a group of black boys in my son’s school, they called them a ‘gang’… so I went to the school and questioned them whether when they see a group of white boys they call them a gang?’..

‘..we have to questions things, the teachers may be blind to them, but when you ask they see..’

African parents in the study recognised the need for more African parents to be involved in the school governing boards and school staffing. They noted that the lack of voices within the school system is the one that lead to misunderstanding of their culture. Arday (2019) have noted that lack of representation of minority ethnic backgrounds has a negative impact on these communities whilst engaging with the education system. For example, from this study, parents from African background recognised lack of representation in education structures which leads to many of them missing out vital information about changes happening in the school system and about the education system in general.

One parent noted that their family were unaware of changes in the grading system within a specific period.

The parent said ‘I don’t know what criteria they use to set the grading system, because when my son did O’level and then when my daughter later did the same it was different, so we need a parent evening so that the parents can know the grading system’

Due to communication barrier as noted earlier, families like the parent quoted above are left feeling unequipped for the system. As a result, most parents felt there is a need for collective participation and African community advocacy within education system. The parents in this study felt that if in the future they got involved as a community, the approach may give them a stronger voice. Participants noted that currently there is a lack of a strong voice from the African community within the UK education system. They felt even research does not have bespoke studies on black Africans in the UK. Unfortunately, putting them in the BAME group (Black, Asian Minority Ethnic), or Black category group can hinder their situations as argued earlier.

Reflecting on an earlier quote from a parent with older children, grandparents need to get involved to support younger parents within their communities. Indeed, participants in this study voiced the need for experiences parents from the African communities to mentor the new parents in the UK. Some parents felt there was a lack of support in the education system and within the African communities. Therefore, it is critical to have alliance within the communities. From the focus groups discussions, it was evident that the parents utilised the space provided by the study to dialogue.

On the other hand, parents in the study recognised a predominant authoritarian style of parenting which was hindered open communication with their children on challenges faced in schools. Some students were reported to have told their peers that there are topics they could not discuss with their African parents. According to studies by Baumrind (2012) authoritarian parenting can hinder open relationships between children and parents. Although children can achieve good grades, there is no space to discuss the child’s views and needs due to fear and lack of confidence. Although Candelanza et al. (2021) have critiqued the link between parenting styles and children academic performance. I argue that the parents in this study noted that it crucial to foster good authoritative parenting styles to enhance dialogue and support for their children.

A parent said ‘listen to our children, they may be speaking a different language’.

Some parents in the study mentioned the need to openly discuss issues with their children. As parent quoted above, there was awareness that their children experiences in the UK system were different from their African experiences. Open communication with their children could enhance parental awareness and involvement. However, when there is restricted communication between parents and children, then the support is hindered. From participants reflections, some parents identified that since their children were going through a different system of education, there was a need for effective communication and honest conversation in families.

‘Since the schools were not dealing with bullying. When the children come from school parents should talk to them, so that issues are addressed collaboratively within families and also with the schools’ one parent said.

The parent quoted above, emphasised the importance of having good rapport with the children, especially when children are going through bullying and other difficulties in school. Most parents felt that when families communicated effectively amongst themselves. In addition, have support from the community to advocate for their children in the school system.

A parent said ‘We have to accept that things change and where we come from things did not change, we believed that the teacher was always right’

Another parent ‘.. there is a gap to filled we have to go to school and speak with the teacher, sometimes they do not know, we have to question things’

The parents quoted above felt that they could be part of change if parents and communities worked with the schools. They were aware that their past experiences in Africa might be hindered their involvement. These parents acknowledged the need to accept variations of contexts and practices. As Gholami and Costantini (2024) have argued, educating children in a diverse world requires all key players to work together.

Conclusion

The focus groups in this study were supportive dialogic spaces where black African parents reflected on their experiences in the UK education system. Participants identified gaps in communication and disparity in the support provided by different schools. They further identified the need for awareness of the education system through effective communication on important matters such as curriculum, methods of teaching, expectations for parental engagement and access to resources and funding. It was evident that the gap between schools and black African families’ requires further exploration through collaborative dialogues with key players in the education system. Majority of parents in this study have encountered prejudice which hinders their engagement. The parents in the study further warrant spaces for mentorship and support from their communities.