This year, we have been working hard towards completing an audit and action plan so that we can hopefully become a School of Sanctuary.

 

What is a School of Sanctuary?

1. A School of Sanctuary is a school that is committed to being a safe and welcoming place for all.

2. It is a school that helps its students, staff and wider community understand what it means to be seeking sanctuary and to extend a welcome to everyone as equal, valued members of the school community.

3. It is a school that is proud to be a place of safety and inclusion for all.

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The City of Sanctuary's organisational pledge is:

“We support the ‘City of Sanctuary’ vision that the UK will be a welcoming place of safety for all and proud to offer sanctuary to people fleeing violence and persecution.

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We endorse the City of Sanctuary Charter, and agree to act in accordance with City of Sanctuary values and apply the network principles within our work (as far as our specific context enables us to).

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We recognise the contribution of people seeking sanctuary. Sanctuary seekers are welcomed, included and supported within our context. We expect our branches or local groups (if any) to support their local City of Sanctuary group if one exists, and will facilitate contact between them and their local City of Sanctuary group.”

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At Stowlawn Primary, we have a vast range of language spoken and we have children and families from many different countries. We hope that everyone feels welcome, safe and a valued member of our school community. Our curriculum provides opportunities for children to learn about a wide range of cultures through stories, RE, history topics, assemblies and in PSHE.

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EAL children are assessed using a proficiency in English assessment, and those who need additional support work on an app called Flash Academy. We use resources written in a child’s home language, when necessary and we sit the children with good role models to help their language acquisition. We hope to train up some of our confident and fluent English speaking EAL children to be young interpreters to support some of our younger children, those children who are new to England and their families.

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Over the next few months, we will continue to work through the audit to become even more inclusive and supportive and hope to achieve the award in the near future.

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Should you have any questions or require further information, please see Mrs Whitehouse, Inclusion Lead.

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