St Joseph’s RC Primary School will be working on achieving School of Sanctuary Award in the academic year 2023-2024 and 2024-2015.

Aims of the School of Sanctuary Award:

· Create a culture of welcome for everyone, especially refugees, asylum seekers and other sanctuary seekers.

· Promote the voices and celebrate the contributions to our society of people who have either sought or are seeking sanctuary.

· Build understanding of the experiences of displaced people and help combat stereotypes about refugees and asylum seekers.

What is a School of Sanctuary?

School of Sanctuary is an initiative that celebrates good practice of schools who foster a culture of welcome and inclusion for all, especially asylum seeking and refugee families. It is a school that demonstrates its commitment to creating a safe environment that benefits everybody, including anyone in its community who is seeking sanctuary.

It is a school that plays a crucial part in helping young people to make sense of the world and to understand what it means to be seeking sanctuary. It is a school that helps young people to create positive changes in their communities and to become responsible citizens.

Why become a School of Sanctuary?

 The Welsh curriculum has four core purposes that are the shared vision and aspiration for every child and young person in our school. These purposes are:

• Ambitious, capable learners who are ready to learn throughout their lives.
• Enterprising, creative contributors who are ready to play a full part in life and work.
• Ethical, well-informed citizens of Wales and the world.
• Healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

We will:

· Contribute to Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural Development within our school and continue to build understanding of our Gold Award in Rights Respecting Schools.

· Provide learning opportunities around global issues, human rights, social justice, diversity and interdependence.

· Build on a school culture that does not accept intolerance and bullying.

· Underpin work on building an inclusive and supportive school community.

· Increase pupil voice to become responsible citizens and promote active citizenship.

· Engage with families in the local community.

· Provide opportunities to network with other schools.

· Enhance the provision of English as an additional language in school.

· Develop pupil outcomes and attendance.

 

The accreditation process will require the school to reflect on how it addresses the three process of Learn, Embed and Share to meet the minimum criteria.

· Learn: what is means to be seeking sanctuary.

· Embed: concepts of welcome, safety and inclusion in the school and the wider community.

· Share: vision and achievements.

Aims:

Create a culture of welcome for everyone, especially refugees, asylum seekers and other sanctuary seekers.

Promote the voices and celebrate the contributions to our society of people who have either sought or are seeking sanctuary.

Build understanding of the experiences of displaced people and help combat stereotypes relating to refugees and asylum seekers.

What we will do?

The school will continue to deliver focused work on educating the whole school community about the human right to sanctuary through our curriculum and will continue to engage with sanctuary seekers and their families in the local community.

 Curriculum work will be delivered specifically about refugees and asylum seekers to enable the children to understand.

Through pupil voice the school will encourage positive action to be taken in our community.

A portfolio of evidence of inclusive work that takes place in school will be developed and work alongside members of the school community.

All staff will attend relevant training on refugee, asylum and migration issues.

All stakeholders of the school will be informed of the process.

All established processes that are sustainable will become embedded over time.

 

What is the value of this award for St Joseph’s RC Primary School?

This is an opportunity for all stakeholders (staff, parents, governors, children, community) for our school to showcase how inclusive and welcoming we are, by successfully achieving this award!