This policy paper examines education experiences of students from refugee backgrounds in Australian schools. Australia maintains a significant humanitarian resettlement programme, yet students from refugee backgrounds remain largely invisible in education policy, subsumed within broader categories like English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD).
The report identifies critical policy gaps: student experiences vary dramatically depending on school location and resources; broad “catch-all” policies fail to address specific needs; data collection inadequately captures this cohort; and racism and discrimination persist as major barriers. Students face challenges during transitions between schools and into higher education, whilst staff often lack appropriate training and support.
Key recommendations include: explicitly identifying students from refugee backgrounds as an equity group; improving data collection; connecting migration and education systems; enhancing teacher education programmes; employing multilingual support staff; and implementing explicit anti-racism policies.
The paper argues Australia could lead globally in refugee education policy by building on existing resettlement program strengths whilst addressing systemic barriers. It emphasises recognising students’ cultural wealth and capabilities rather than focusing solely on deficits, and calls for coordinated action across federal, state, and school levels.
