We are delighted to share with you our Swindon Schools of Sanctuary!
Peatmoor Community Primary School
Peatmoor became Swindon’s first School of Sanctuary when they achieved their School of Sanctuary Award in November 2022.
They began the formal process of working towards their School of Sanctuary Award in February 2022; by November 2022, they had achieved their School of Sanctuary Award.Their award celebration, in January 2023, was widely covered in the media with news articles written by Swindon Advertiser, BBC Wiltshire and a segment in the ITV regional nightly news broadcast. The news was also shared widely by Swindon Borough Council’s Director of Education which brought about much interest from other schools in Swindon looking to find out more about the process of becoming a School of Sanctuary.
As they worked towards their award, Peatmoor formed a Welcome Group; a small group of young people from Years 5 and 6, some who have Lived Experience of Migration, who created the role of Welcome Ambassadors. Their role is to welcome any new person at the School and to empower others to share and spread the values of welcome and inclusion. The school had many young people apply, with eight being selected as this year’s ambassadors.
Lawn Manor Academy
Lawn Manor became Swindon’s first secondary school to achieve their School of Sanctuary Award in July 2023.
They began the formal process of working towards their School of Sanctuary Award in May 2022, achieving their Award in July 2023. Lawn Manor Academy was Swindon’s first secondary school to become a nationally accredited School of Sanctuary. Head of PSHE and School of Sanctuary Lead Staff Member commented, “Now that the school has been officially recognised as a School of Sanctuary … the staff and Welcome Ambassadors would like to see Lawn Manor Academy work towards being recognised as a Centre of Best Practice for Welcome and Inclusion in Swindon.”
Sharing of cultural diversity is very much in the ethos at Lawn Manor. Their Celebration of Welcomes evening, now in its third year, is a more formal event bringing people together from beyond the immediate school community. Culture Day’s see students wearing traditional dress from their home countries and was an opportunity to share stories, food, music and culture. Lawn Manor key staff have developed a programme of welcome in their school calendar. Lawn Manor has appointed 50+ Welcome Ambassadors with some taking on lead roles and greater responsibility promoting the values of a School of Sanctuary both in the school and in our community.
Take a look at Lawn Manor’s Celebration of Welcome Evening here