A new series starts on BBC4 on Wednesday (February 10th, 9pm) chronicling the lives of youngsters in an Arab school. Directed by Sarah Hamilton, who recently made a DVD about City of Sanctuary, it focuses on four schools in the Syrian city of Damascus.

Sarah says she was given unique access to film the youngsters over the course of a year to explore what it’s like to grow up in the heart of the Arab world. “Using the prism of school life,” she says, “the series takes us beyond politics and media cliches to the stories of ordinary people.”

These include boys who dream of playing for Manchester United, girls who write poetry, and refugees who tell their stories through rap.

A local mother who won a long battle for sanctuary  in the UK has been told she will have to wait a further five years before she can apply for citizenship.

This means she has lost more than £1,000, and her children will be barred from going on foreign trips with their school because they do not have a passport.

When Sara first applied for citizenship she was told she 'ticked all the boxes', having passed the required test, achieving ESOL level 2, and being an active and upright member of the community.

But the UK Border Agency(UKBA) has told them that people who have been granted refugee status under the so-called 'legacy' system  will not be eligible for another five years.

Sara, who recently performed in a Refugee Week drama production, and has delivered refugee awareness training to local social workers, says she was devastated to be told she would have to wait. 

"The worst thing is what it means for the children," she says.  "My son is so disappointed he won't be able to go abroad with the school.  He's 11 now so will miss out through most of his teenage years". Sara also has an eight year old daughter.

To make matters worse, UKBA have said her £1,000 fee will not be refunded, even though noone told her she was ineligible. Welcome to Britain, huh?