First Scottish Ukrainian school to help refugees

A school set up 70 years ago to cater for Ukrainian refugee children who came to Britain during the Second World War is to open a branch in Scotland for the first time.

The St Mary's Ukrainian School in Glasgow will allow refugees who took shelter from Russia’s invasion, which began two years ago this weekend, to learn the language, history, geography and culture of their home country.

The school, which will run on Saturdays at St Mungo's School, will see children learn about Ukrainian literature, as well as music and art. Children who have suffered traumatic experiences due to the war will also be offered support.

Classes for around 80 children aged five to 16 will start on March 9, staffed predominantly by Ukrainian teachers who are themselves refugees.

Orysya Novetska, head of the board of governors at the St Mary’s Ukrainian School in Holland Park, London, said the school would allow children, who have now spent a large proportion of their lives in Scotland, to practice Ukrainian and keep up with the Ukrainian curriculum to allow them to return home.

The UK government has now extended the Homes for Ukraine visa scheme, which gave Ukrainians the right to stay in Britain for three years, for another 18 months.

Ms Novetska said: “They came here nearly two years ago and some of the little children are beginning to forget their Ukrainian language. If they go back to Ukraine, they need to keep their language level up to be able to go back into their age group at school there.”

She said the idea to open a school in Glasgow came from a Ukrainian priest working in the city, Father Andriy Chornenko, who realised there was a need for Ukrainian language provision for refugees in Scotland.