Primary school given School of Sanctuary status

Deputy headteacher Dani Rees with Fishergate Primary School pupils involved in achieving the award

A city centre primary school has been recognised for its efforts to foster "a safe and inclusive school environment" for families seeking sanctuary in the UK.

Fishergate Primary School is the first primary school in York to achieve the School of Sanctuary status, joining a network of over 600 schools nationwide.

Deputy headteacher Dani Rees said she was "immensely proud" of its pupils who played a key role, through projects that explored diversity and different cultures.

"They've been tremendous - the children are well informed about the challenges of leaving your home and starting somewhere else, and the rewards of living in a multicultural, multi-lingual community," she said.

"We know that the hard and exciting work we've done towards achieving it has been worthwhile."

Fishergate Primary School has hosted a number of children from refugee or asylum seeking families, Ms Rees said, and the School of Sanctuary status felt like a "natural progression to support its diverse catchment".

Meeting the criteria for the award was a joint school effort, she added.

The School of Sanctuary network is a collective of educational establishments and community groups across the UK, connected to the City of Sanctuary charity.

To achieve the status staff worked on a number of objectives to improve school practices, such as streamlining the admissions process for families with English as a second language.

For pupils, they recognised a number of events throughout the year, like Black History Month, and produced a series of projects exploring other cultures.

For Ibrahim, aged 10, one of his favourite activities was sampling different national dishes.

"The nachos were really amazing, with cheese - they were really good," he said.

Indie, also 10, said it was "really exciting" to learn about different cultures, especially during Refugee Week where they focused on celebrities and their experiences.

Pupils at Fishergate Primary School worked on a number of projects to achieve the award

Theo, 10, was one of the pupils who spoke to the School of Sanctuary appraisal team to convince them they had reached the requirements.

He said he was "a tiny bit" nervous but that it was "also quite fun to be one of the people to do it".

Feedback from Schools of Sanctuary said the school was "a model example of a school going above and beyond to support their learners and community".

Headteacher Tina Clarke said she was "thrilled" to be awarded the status as "diversity is one of the main strengths" at the school.

"We are a genuinely inclusive school and we recognise the rewards of living in a multicultural, multilingual city," she said.

"This accreditation is a reflection of how important it is to us that any young person and their family, from any background, can look forward to being welcomed and supported within our school community."

The Schools of Sanctuary Award remains in place for three years, and to remain recognised with the status, a school must renew their application.

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