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Case Studies

Including practical examples to inspire and guide schools, the intention for these case studies is to demonstrate the diversity of ways schools have approached becoming a School of Sanctuary.

If you would like to share a case study of  your school, please get in contact with Megan at [email protected].

The Refugee Rucksack Project for Lent

Caritas Christi in Urbe Schools, Birmingham

Platforming Students' Voices and Stories

Glengormley Integrated College, Northern Ireland

Sanctuary in School: One School's Year in Review

Wood Ley Primary School, Suffolk

A group of Birmingham Catholic Primary Schools share details of their engaging Lent project focused on building awareness about and empathy of the experiences of people seeking sanctuary.

Criterion 2, Criterion 5, Criterion 7

Glengormley College shares details about the collaborative project developed with local organisation Wheelworks to help build confidence amongst refugee students whilst sharing their incredible stories.

Criterion 3, Criterion 5, Criterion 7

Wood Ley Primary School shares a review of their (impressive!) sanctuary efforts over the 2022-23 period.

All criteria, but especially criterion 8

Sanctuary Literacy Scheme

Bitterne Park Primary School, Southampton.

Sanctuary Books for the Early Years

Acorn Nursery, Brighton and Hove

In this fantastic scheme of work, Bitterne Park Primary School explore at least two books about sanctuary themes with every year group through the school.

Criterion 2

Over 30 schools in the Wirral came together over Refugee Week to combine learning with support for people seeking sanctuary.

Criterion 2, Criterion 3, Criterion 6, Criterion 7, Criterion 8 

Acorn Nursery shares some of the books and tests they use to help very young children learn about sanctuary themes.

Criterion 2

Learning about Sanctuary in the Early Years

Acorn Nursery, Brighton and Hove

Meaningful Support to People Seeking Sanctuary

Wood Ley Primary School, Suffolk

Acorn Nursery discuss one way in which they approached learning about seeking sanctuary with very young children.

Criterion 2, Criterion 3, Criterion 5.

Learn how Wood Ley Primary School have offered direct, practical support to people seeking sanctuary beyond fundraising and donations.

Criterion 3, Criterion 7.

Acorn Nursery share how anti-racism was used as a central pillar in their journey to being recognised as a School of Sanctuary.

Criterion 1, Criterion 3, Criterion 7

Giving the Gift of Welcome in the Advent Season

St Andrew's Primary School, The Wirral

Sharing Being a School of Sanctuary

Avenue Junior School, Norwich

St Andrew’s Primary School flipped the idea of the advent calendar on its head – all to inspire welcome and compassion during the advent period.

Criterion 3, Criterion 5, Criterion 7

Avenue Junior School show pride in being a School of Sanctuary in this webpage highlighting what being a School of Sanctuary means to them and how others can get involved.

Criterion 6, Criterion 7, Criterion 8

Here we outline an innovative approach Erdington Academy took to learning about sanctuary issues – by embedding it into the maths curriculum!

Criterion 1, Criterion 2, Criterion 3

An Action-Packed Refugee Week

St Mary the Virgin Primary School, Cardiff

Becoming the First School of Sanctuary in Swansea

St Joseph's Cathedral School, Swansea

SMTV share details of their action-packed week in celebration for Refugee Week 2021 in the journey to being recognised as a School of Sanctuary.

Criterion 1, Criterion 2, Criterion 3, Criterion 4, Criterion 5, Criterion 7, Criterion 8

St Joseph’s share their experiences of undertaking the learn, embed and share criteria on their journey to becoming Swansea’s first School of Sanctuary.

Criterion 1, Criterion 2, Criterion 3, Criterion 5, Criterion 7, Criterion 8

Springwater School, a small school for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities shares details of how they approached the Learn, Embed, Share criteria in reflection of the needs and abilities of their students.

Criterion 1, Criterion 2, Criterion 3, Criterion 4, Criterion 5, Criterion 7, Criterion 8. 

Turning Learning Into Action

St Dunstan's Primary School, Birmingham

Welcome, Listening and Learning

Allens Croft Primary School

Different Ways of Learning

Nelson Mandela Community School

Having learnt about the challenges facing people seeking sanctuary, including the ban on people seeking asylum working whilst their claim is being processed, students lobbied local councillors and have written letters to their MPs.

Criterion 2, Criterion 5, Criterion 7, Criterion 8

Students welcomed an Expert by Experience to their school and interviewed them to learn more about one person’s experience of seeking sanctuary in the UK.

Criterion 2, Criterion 5

 

Students at Nelson Mandela Community School participated in a variety of learning activities around sanctuary issues to recognise the diverse experiences of people seeking sanctuary and their historical links.

Criterion 2, Criterion 5, Criterion 7

Flavours of Winsom Green

Oasis Academy Foundry, Birmingham

A Patchwork of Strangers

Norfolk Schools of Sanctuary

A Cross-Curricula Approach to Learning

The Kingsway Community Trust, Manchester

A cookery social enterprise set up by Oasis Foundry School for parents who were seeking sanctuary.

Criterion 3, Criterion 7

An art project connecting Norwich’s refugee history and its present refugee population.

Criterion 1, Criterion 2, Criterion 7, Criterion 8

Embedding learning about sanctuary issues across different subjects. 

Criterion 3

Sharing Your Work on Sanctuary Online

Mersey Park Primary School, The Wirral

A Language Ambassadors Programme

St Gregory’s RC Primary School, Bolton

A Football Match on Christmas Day

Halesowen College, Dudley

Mersey Park Primary School shared a video of what being a School of Sanctuary means to them on the school website. 

Criterion 6, Criterion 7, Criterion 8

 

St Gregory’s RC Primary School developed a buddying programme to welcome new arrivals.

Criterion 3, Criterion 5

“Many of our ESOL students would have had nothing to do on Christmas Day, so we organised a football match.”

Criterion 3, Criterion 7

A Befriending Day

King Edwards VI Grammar School, Louth

Norfolk Schools Welcome

Norfolk Schools of Sanctuary

An Art Exhibition for Sanctuary

Lawnswood School, Leeds

Students from King Edwards VI Grammar School and young refugees from Leicester and Leeds took part in a befriending day in August 2017.

Criterion 3, Criterion 7

Norfolk Schools of Sanctuary sent welcome cards to Syrian families resettling in Norwich.

Criterion 3, Criterion 5, Criterion 7

Students took part in an art exhibition in Refugee Week to raise money for support organisations.

Criterion 2, Criterion 3, Criterion 5, Criterion 7

Engaging with University Research

Birmingham Schools of Sanctuary

Learning through Imagination

Colmore Junior School, Birmingham

A Parent Shares His Experiences

Phoenix Primary School, Liverpool

Birmingham City University researchers involved Birmingham Schools of Sanctuary in a project on integrating migrants into schools.

Criterion 1, Criterion 5, Criterion 7, Criterion 8

Students imagined what they would pack if they had to flee.

Criterion 2

A parent came in to school to talk about his experience of seeking sanctuary in the UK.

Criterion 2, Criterion 3, Criterion 5