My name is Laila* and I am from a country in the Middle East. I was diagnosed with Schizophrenia when I was younger which is a mental illness and required more support with my education than I was getting in my country.
For 38 weeks of the year, I therefore attend Priory Education and Children’s Services Coxlease School in Hampshire and live at one of their children’s homes.
Living in Britain
I have lived at the children’s home for just over a year now. Although I see myself as a person from the Middle East and occasionally miss home, I feel very comfortable and safe living in Britain and enjoy relaxing, as well as socialising with other people. Everyone has made me feel very welcome and I am really happy here.
It is a nice children’s home where I live in the forest and I love my bedroom. I even chose the decorations and dark purple colour scheme myself.
The views in this country are amazing and we are also not too far from the beach. I do so many different activities here and spend lots of time outdoors. The Middle East was sometimes too hot whereas here it's cooler weather, so I can do lots more activities!
These activities include:
- Playing tennis
- Going to the cinema
- Forest walks
- Trampolining
Since being at the children’s home I’ve become much more independent than I was in the Middle East, I even take part in purchasing ingredients and making meals. Cooking is a lot of fun, I love trying new foods I have never tried before. For example, I ate fish and chips on the seafront recently.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is also very important to me and my family, this is something the home and school are really passionate about and they make sure I am correctly eating a healthy, nutritionally approved diet.
Learning in Britain
I like going to school in Britain. The staff and facilities are a lot better than in the Middle East and the other countries I have previously stayed in such as America.
The classes are also a lot smaller, usually only six students in a lesson which I definitely prefer as I get more attention. The teachers are really good, they understand me better and help me to learn a lot quicker than I used to do. My favourite lesson is English and I want to now become an English Teacher when I’m older.
I would recommend Britain to anyone thinking of coming over from a different country to live and learn. It’s much better here!
Contact us today
For more information on the education services we provide at our British schools for children from around the world with Autism, ADHD and other Special Educational Needs, or to become one of our agents, please call +44 (0)208 108 2571 or click here.
We would also be more than happy to show you around one of our schools. Please do contact us when you are next in the UK to arrange a FAM tour.
*Name has been changed to maintain confidentiality.