Being recognised as a School of Sanctuary means a school has evidenced their commitment to making sure every child and family feel welcomed, safe and is supported to thrive. This includes upholding comprehensive safeguarding practices and policies as our highest priority.
The Schools of Sanctuary programme is not political – in a worryingly divided society where hateful rhetoric is widespread, it simply helps schools to talk factually about the different reasons people may have been forced to flee and their experiences arriving in the UK. Whatever a person’s viewpoint, the Schools of Sanctuary encourages children and adults alike to lead with kindness and humanity.
Stories of arriving in the UK are not abstract but are also shared by many in our school community. Being a School of Sanctuary not only helps us to understand the challenges newly arrivals might be experiencing and best support them, as we work hard to do for every one of our learners, but it also ensures that these children’s experiences are recognised and represented. In doing so, we hope that children seeking safety can feel just as safe, welcomed and valued in our community as their peers.
We are proud to be a school where every child feels safe, where we try to understand and meet every child’s individual needs, and we equip our pupils to be kind and thoughtful members of our communities. This is at the heart of who we are.
You can learn more about the Schools of Sanctuary programme here but if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.