We know that false and inflammatory material about our Schools of Sanctuary programme is circulating online. Contrary to what these dangerous misrepresentations claim, our programme promotes compassion, understanding, and safety.
Whilst we are not directly involved in the delivery of activities in schools, we know that the activity in question, undertaken in a small number of schools, did not involve children writing personal Valentine’s cards to adults in the asylum system. It was just a simple act of welcome – pupils wrote short, anonymised messages to show support and solidarity. These were expressions such as “Welcome to our town” or “We hope you feel safe here.” The vast majority of these were displayed within the classroom, in a small number of cases, schools gave them to local refugee support groups. No personal information was shared, and the activity was age-appropriate, teacher-led, and in line with rigorous school safeguarding policies.
We take safeguarding extremely seriously and operate in line with all statutory guidance.
These incredibly dangerous misrepresentations of our work are putting schools and our team in danger. We are pursuing legal advice and are reporting all threats to the police.
See our Schools of Sanctuary FAQs
Being a School of Sanctuary is about promoting our shared values of compassion, tolerance, and respect. The aim is to support schools to welcome every child and encourage kindness – one child who was moved to a School of Sanctuary said, ‘In my old school I was scared but everyone is so kind here’. Schools of Sanctuary helps schools to effectively support the thousands of children seeking safety in the UK and enable children and young people to understand the experiences of those who have been forced to flee their homes.
The School of Sanctuary programme is voluntary and self-led by the school. We provide resources and guidance to help school leaders and teachers to review and refine their practice towards building a culture of safety, understanding and belonging. This involves schools thinking about the way they welcome and support new arrivals, understanding the challenges they might be facing at home and how they can support them, and making sure every child feels valued and represented in school and that every parent/carer can be involved in their child’s school life. It’s also about working with others in their community to help connect the dots in gaps in support so that every child gets the best start in life.
Schools are required to prepare children for life in modern Britain; teaching them about the society and world they grow up in and fostering active citizenship skills. Forced migration is a significant global phenomenon widely discussed in the media and public discourse: the Schools of Sanctuary programme supports schools to talk factually about the different reasons people may have been forced to flee and their experiences arriving in the UK in order to build understanding and reinforce our shared values. We do not promote a political perspective – in an increasingly divided climate, we encourage schools to lead with kindness and compassion. In doing so, we hope to build kinder, safer communities – for everyone.
For many of the children at the schools in our networks, stories of fleeing their country are not abstract but are also their own. With recent events in Ukraine and Afghanistan, vulnerable children have joined schools across the UK, with many of these schools having never supported refugee children before. The Schools of Sanctuary programme not only helps these schools to understand the challenges refugee children might be experiencing and support them to thrive but ensures that these children’s experiences are recognised and represented.
From English language support and trauma-informed care to buddy systems for new students, the Schools of Sanctuary network aims to foster a culture of welcome, compassion and kindness – all of which has far ranging benefits for every child.
Schools of Sanctuary offers a broad and flexible framework to help schools review and refine their practice towards building a culture of welcome and understanding. This means that schools themselves determine what activities and efforts they develop. The schools and the incredible teachers within them are the professionals and have the expertise to decide the most appropriate approach to educating their pupils about these issues in reflection of their age and backgrounds.