“Sink or Swim” – The ‘Culture Shock Experiences’ of Immigrant Educators in UK Schools: Critical Perspectives

Aim. The study aims to interrogate the experiences of culture shock among immigrant educators in the United Kingdom’s school system. It also illuminates that while immigrant educators are a vital workforce, bringing diverse skills and knowledge, they experience cultural shock in adapting to a new and diverse cultural environment. Thus, they often encounter obstacles related to cultural systems and teaching methods that negatively affect their school adjustment and performance. Methods. The study used a qualitative explorative case study underpinned by the critical social constructivism paradigm. After obtaining ethical clearance and approval from the council, participants were purposively sampled from a population of Milton Keynes Council, drawing eight immigrant educators for focus groups and five school leaders for individual semi-structured interviews. Data was analysed through thematic analysis, identifying and describing patterns in qualitative data that were valuable across various inquiries. Results. The findings show that immigrant educators experience distant leadership, confusion, anxiety, isolation, and a struggle for identity and belonging as part of their culture shock. Discrepancies between expectations and reality, lack of institutional support, and communication barriers exacerbate these challenges. School leaders often reinforce existing norms and values that immigrant educators find difficult to navigate, contributing to their sense of exclusion and cultural dissonance. Conclusions. Immigrant educators are vital in transforming the UK’s educational landscape, bringing valuable skills and multicultural perspectives. However, to fully realise their potential, schools must implement formal support programmes such as mentoring and culturally inclusive leadership. The study calls for systemic reforms in educational institutions to support immigrant educators’ integration better, thereby enhancing their well-being and job satisfaction.