Refugee Week & Global Day at Newlands

This week is Refugee Week.  It is an international initiative, which celebrates the contributions of refugees and people seeking sanctuary in order to challenge negative stereotypes and create a space where refugees can be seen and heard beyond their experience of displacement. The theme of this year’s week is Compassion. 

To coincide with this, we held our Global Day on Wednesday.  The purpose of this day was to develop the children’s Global Citizenship skills, learning more about different countries around the world as well as developing their empathy and understanding of people who have had to flee their country and seek safety elsewhere. In school, we learned about the culture of different countries including some food tasting sessions, Art sessions and many more exciting activities. Years 1 to 6 also had a visit from SWVG – a group which works with asylum seekers and refugees in Southampton; whilst Year 5 also had a visit from a person with lived experience of fleeing to Southampton for safety from Uganda. We held an after school Art group for 3 weeks this half term which involved making the most amazing sculptures based on the theme of Compassion. Finally, you will all have received a message via Marvellous Me about the second edition of our Newlands Global Family Book. We look forward to seeing your contributions in school.

Global Ambassadors Update: Thank you for all the entries to create Sanctuary Area signs. This area is on hold at the moment , due to the current building work and the hope that we will be able to secure funding to develop the entire area for both children and parents as a permanent, improved Sanctuary Area.  Watch this space!