Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to prevent adult asylum seekers from impersonating children in (a) primary, (b) secondary, and (c) post-16 schools.

The law requires children of compulsory school age living in England, including foreign nationals, to receive a suitable full-time education.

If a school has concerns about an individual’s age and lack documentation, they should refer this to the local authority, which may conduct an assessment. Age assessment is the responsibility of local authorities and the Home Office. The local authority may liaise with the Home Office age dispute team and may also seek support from the National Age Assessment Board.

The department does not hold the data requested.