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Year 10
Edexcel

Migration to modern Britain

I can explain the reasons for migration to Britain and the experiences and impact of migrants in the modern period.

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New
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Year 10
Edexcel

Migration to modern Britain

I can explain the reasons for migration to Britain and the experiences and impact of migrants in the modern period.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Most migrants settled in Britain because of changes in laws, the growth of the Commonwealth or for economic reasons.
  2. Patterns of migration changed throughout the period as a result of new laws and changing attitudes.
  3. While race became an increasingly defining factor in migrant experiences, all migrants experienced some hostility.
  4. Migrants had a significant impact on the economy, but growing migrant communities also impacted politics.

Keywords

  • Commonwealth - an international community made up of Britain and many former colonies

  • Race riots - riots that break out between groups that identify as different races (e.g. black and white people)

Common misconception

All white migrants had positive experiences in the modern period.

Although they were often favoured by immigration laws, they still faced hostility on arriving in Britain. For example, many Irish migrants experienced the same discrimination from landlords as Caribbean migrants.


To help you plan your year 10 history lesson on: Migration to modern Britain, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

When explaining the reasons for migration in the modern period, make sure to emphasise that the reasons often work together to explain why migrants settled in Britain in this period.
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content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of serious crime
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
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Supervision

Adult supervision required

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word describes a system where people who are not considered white are denied access to the same services as white people?
Correct Answer: colour bar
Q2.
Complete the sentence: The British Civil Rights movement is often said to have started in Bristol, with the Bristol Bus...
Correct Answer: Boycott
Q3.
Where did many Caribbean migrants who were part of the Windrush Generation settle?
Correct answer: Bristol
Correct answer: Brixton
Brighton
Birmingham
Q4.
Who were many Ugandan and Kenyan Asians descended from?
communities who had fled to East Africa as a result of war and famine
communities who had been brought to East Africa by Spanish colonial rule
Correct answer: communities who had been brought to East Africa by British colonial rule
communities who had chosen to go to East Africa for economic opportunities
Q5.
Why did Belgrave Road in Leicester become known as the ‘Golden Mile’ in the late 1970s?
It was the only area in which the growing Asian community was allowed to live.
It was where many Asian migrants set up workshops making gold jewellery.
It was where many Asian migrants set up restaurants serving on gold plates.
Correct answer: It was where many Asian migrants set up shops specialising in Asian traditions.
Q6.
Put the following events in chronological order.
1 - The arrival of HMT Empire Windrush
2 - The Bristol Omnibus Company (BOC) only hired white drivers and conductors.
3 - Paul Stephenson helped Guy Reid-Bailey apply for a job as a bus conductor.
4 - Stephenson and other activists in Bristol protested against the BOC.
5 - The protest was supported by white residents in Bristol.
6 - The BOC announced it would end discrimination in their recruitment process.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word describes an international community made up of Britain and many former colonies?
Correct Answer: Commonwealth, the Commonwealth, Commonwealth countries
Q2.
Which word describes riots that break out between groups that identify as different races (e.g. black and white people)?
Correct Answer: race riots, race riot
Q3.
Complete the sentence:Patterns of migration throughout the modern period as a result of new laws and changing attitudes.
stayed the same
Correct answer: changed
were not affected
Q4.
Match the evidence to whether it was an expectation of Caribbean migrants or their reality upon arrival in Britain.
Correct Answer:expectation,well-paid jobs, good quality accommodation, warm reception
tick

well-paid jobs, good quality accommodation, warm reception

Correct Answer:reality,low-paid jobs, poor quality accommodation, racism and hostility
tick

low-paid jobs, poor quality accommodation, racism and hostility

Q5.
Which of the following areas of British life have been impacted by migrants in the modern period?
politics
culture
economy
Correct answer: all of the above
Q6.
Put the following events in chronological order.
1 - Labour shortage caused by World War Two
2 - The Ministry of Labour Scheme and the Polish Resettlement Corps introduced
3 - The Nationality Act passed
4 - First Commonwealth Immigrants Act passed
5 - Second Commonwealth Immigrants Act passed
6 - Britain joined the European Union (EU)
7 - The Maastricht Treaty signed

Additional material

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