Mixed-Heritage Pupils Overlooked in School Policies

Young people of mixed heritage are being under-recognised in educational policy and practice, despite being among the fastest-growing groups in the UK.

A new report examining the lived experiences of mixed-heritage pupils across London classrooms and universities, found that while diversity is increasing in the capital's schools, young people are being grouped into broad monoracial categories that they do not identify with and treated through ethnic based assumptions by teachers and institutions. According to students, teachers make assumptions and hold stereotypes about them and their family backgrounds based on their appearance, names, or perceived ethnicity.

Mixed-heritage students describe the daily challenge of explaining "who they are", and their right to claim one or more of their ethnic identities frequently questioned and explain how classmates often play "guessing games" about their parentage, leaving them feeling visible yet misunderstood. Many also indicated a low sense of belonging to British society compared to other minority ethnic groups.

Following a series of interviews and questionnaires, the report, led by researchers at King's College London and funded by the Portal Trust, highlights a need for anti-racism policies in educational settings to be more explicit to include harassment targeting mixed-heritage identity, such as terms like 'whitewashed,' 'zebra,' and other mixed-specific derogatory language.

"This sense of being made to feel 'in-between' and being misunderstood can deeply affect their confidence, sense of belonging, and educational outcomes. Teachers and institutions have such an important role to play in changing that. When educators take the time to understand a student's identity and reflect it in the classroom and broader school culture, it can transform how that young person sees themselves."

Many participants also discussed a lack of mixed-heritage representation in the curriculum and identity pressures resulting from insensitivities in cultural programming and events.

Some mixed-Black students at university shared concerns and unease about being included within policies targeting Black students, feeling that are not marginalised in the same ways as their monoracial Black peers.

Co-investigator Dr Chiamaka Nwosu, Lecturer in Policy Evaluation at King's Business School, said: "Mixed-heritage students face a dual challenge in higher education. Our analysis shows that they are much less likely to receive offers from high-tariff universities compared to lower tariff universities, particularly in London. At the same time, our findings indicate that at lower-tariff universities, mixed-heritage students experience lower continuation rates and wider awarding gaps compared with their White peers. These results emphasise the need for targeted policies both to improve access to elite universities, as well as ensure that students from mixed-heritage backgrounds receive the necessary support to succeed once enrolled."

Many school students, particularly those from mixed-Black backgrounds spoke about harassment and scrutiny from peers based on their friendships, speech or cultural preferences, frequently leading to accusations of being 'whitewashed', which call into question the authenticity of their identity.

I'd get called whitewashed a lot, and I feel like, that like, it kind of like, hurts your identity because it's like, what am I supposed to be to fit in? So, I feel like that did change me a lot like, throughout secondary school I felt like I had to do certain things. - Female, 16-years-old, Black Caribbean/White British

Muslim mixed students, especially female Muslim mixed students, talked about discrimination for their mixed-ness too, describing how their experiences and acceptance as Muslim depended on their visible Muslim identity i.e. wearing hijab and going for prayer.

And then when I went to secondary school, I went to an all-girls' school in Stratford. So, there were a lot of Muslims there ... So, then it became like because I don't wear a headscarf and I look mixed and you can tell I'm half White, it became more like I'm the White person in the class. - Female, 18-years-old, North African/White British

The researchers also recommend protocols be put in place that require teachers to ask mixed students about their ethnic background, instead of assuming.

As a result of the research, experts from King's College London and The Portal Trust are now working together to develop a dedicated toolkit to support schools to adopt policies that consider the nuances of specific heritage mixes,, socio-economic status and the impact of institutional racism.

Richard Foley Chief Executive at The Portal Trust, said: "The report highlights significant findings, revealing how mixed-heritage students have to navigate daily negotiations of identity in classrooms, corridors, and playgrounds. Teachers, peers and institutions all play a role in shaping how these young people perceive themselves and how others perceive them.

"We must now move from recognition to meaningful action if we are to ensure that Mixed-heritage students feel valued and supported. By creating a practical toolkit that draws on the reports findings, we will aim to help institutions embed genuine inclusion into their everyday policy and practice.

"True inclusion means giving mixed-heritage students not only recognition, but the confidence to embrace and celebrate all parts of who they are."

London is the UK's most ethnically diverse region, home to 29% of the mixed-heritage population. The mixed-heritage population is now the UK's fastest-growing demographic. The 2021 census from England and Wales revealed that 1.7 million people across the two nations identified as mixed-race - a tripling since 2001.