Fenham primary named School of Sanctuary

Staff and pupils in Fenham are celebrating as their school was recognised as a School of Sanctuary for its welcoming ethos and diversity.

More than 30 different languages are spoken at English Martyrs’ Catholic Primary School, which received the award after a year-long evaluation process involving the whole school.

“The school worked together to find out what being a School of Sanctuary means, including being a place of sanctuary for all,” explained Emma Allen, English as an Additional Language (EAL) Support at English Martyrs’, a member of the Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust. “We had whole staff training on this and also shared the information with the pupils.”

“Our School Council focused on how we can make English Martyrs’ a place of sanctuary,” she continued. “They even came up with some booklets that we can share with new pupils seeking sanctuary who may start at our school in the future.

“We worked together to find out more about refugees during World Refugee Week. We also celebrated our own religions in our World Faith Week in school.”

The children in Year 6 had a key role to play, becoming School of Sanctuary Ambassadors to promote the scheme to other pupils, and hosting a whole-school assembly on the subject.

English Martyrs’ Head Boy and Girl were also on hand to accept the School of Sanctuary Award at a ceremony held at The Hancock Museum.

Through the City of Sanctuary charitable organisation which began in 2005, there are now over 800 Schools of Sanctuary across the UK – including fellow BBCET primary schools St Mary’s in Forest Row, St Columba’s in Wallsend, St Michael’s in Newcastle, and Our Lady and St Anne’s, also in Newcastle.

“Our school has more than 30 languages spoken, and we celebrate this with displays of languages in our school, as well as having books of dual language available for all pupils,” added Mrs Allen.

“We felt it was very important to reflect our diverse community in school, and this was part of the reason we wanted to become a School of Sanctuary.

“Also, as a Catholic school, being a place of sanctuary in the community was important to us, and it links in with our Catholic Social Teaching ethos that is incorporated into our curriculum.”