Two youngsters who fled Ukraine begin their first day in school within the UK

Two Ukrainian youngsters who fled the war-torn metropolis of Kharkiv with their household have began their first day in school within the UK.

Alikhan Yusupov, 10, and 11-year-old relative Miroslava Starkova arrived within the village of Caldecote, eight miles west of Cambridge, final month and reside at a house donated by a businessman.

Valeriia Starkova, 37, stated she was “very emotional” to stroll her son Alikhan and her half-sister Miroslava – Alikhan’s aunt – to their first day at Caldecote Major College.

They got worksheets in English, with Ukrainian translations, as they arrived on the college and hung up their coats and luggage.

“It’s like the primary day ever in school for them,” stated Ms Starkova.

“They’re actually scared, however it’s alright.”

She stated the kids had been proven across the college on Tuesday, when different pupils returned from the Easter break, in order that they “knew what to anticipate” earlier than their first day on Wednesday.

She stated they had been “nervous” however she hopes they are going to quickly decide up English, including: “My hopes are that will probably be straightforward for them.”

“They had been actually scared as a result of they can not communicate English and they aren’t allowed to take telephones,” Ms Starkova stated.

“They had been planning to make use of the Google translator however the coverage isn’t any cell phones, in order that they had been actually scared about that.

“They made some notes with widespread phrases like ‘are you able to please name my mum?’ or one thing.

“They ready themselves somewhat bit.”

She stated the first college seemed “very vibrant, very comfy”, and that in Ukraine they’re “somewhat bit completely different” and look extra like a secondary college.

“I prefer it right here and I hope they are going to really feel very easy,” she stated.

She stated the kids had been “burdened about college uniforms as a result of in Ukraine we don’t have a faculty uniform they usually can put on no matter they like, like hoodies, denims”.

“They cried about this, they didn’t need to put on uniforms, they wished to have persona,” stated Ms Starkova.

“They had been burdened concerning the uniform however then I defined it must be achieved, everyone seems to be carrying that.”

Her daughter Kamila Yusupova, 12, is because of begin at Comberton Village Faculty secondary college close to Cambridge within the coming days, and Ms Starkova stated Kamila is wanting ahead to taking the varsity bus.

“It was her dream to go to high school by college bus – this yellow college bus,” she stated.

The household of 10, spanning 4 generations and ranging in age from 10 to 90, reside in a house that businessman Mick Swinhoe, 52, purchased subsequent to his personal simply earlier than the struggle broke out and that he initially deliberate to make use of as a “mission home”.

The chief at an industrial automation firm modified his plans and, after posting on Fb teams, he was related with a household.

Ms Starkova stated Mr Swinhoe helped them order a faculty uniform for Kamila on-line, and that they purchased uniforms and backpacks for the youthful two from a grocery store.

She stated the neighborhood had donated a lot of what they wanted – together with stationery, notebooks and lunchboxes – including she was “so grateful” for the assistance.

Ms Starkova’s brother, Roman Starkov, 38, is a British citizen, and the Cambridge-based software program developer helped his household by means of the visa course of to come back to the UK underneath the Ukraine Household Scheme.