Highlight of the Week

Refugee Week

Senior and Primary combined forces in assembly this week to highlight the importance of Refugee Week.

We have much to learn from refugees about holding onto hope when going on seems impossible – as well as about how art, creativity and community can help us to heal.   Whether it’s about looking after ourselves and each other at difficult times, overcoming political divisions or coming together to fight for the survival of our shared planet, healing matters to all of us.  Whoever and wherever we are, let’s imagine a world where healing replaces harm, and care becomes our shared currency.

This Refugee Week, we have been exploring the theme of Healing.

Healing means recovering from a painful experience or situation, so that we can continue to live. No-one understands this better than those who have lost their homes and had to build new lives from scratch. We have much to learn from refugees about holding onto hope when going on seems impossible – as well as about how art, creativity and community can help us to heal.  Those going through the asylum system also know that healing is an ongoing process, made harder by poverty, housing difficulties and the threat of being detained or deported. Asking for change, so that refugees can truly feel safe, is an act of care.

With these thoughts in mind, each year group from Nursery to Year 6, has been listening to a beautiful story which shares happiness, kindness, healing and refugee experiences. From this, they have created a piece of written work and a piece of artwork. At the end of the week, each child will also be taking a Jar of Kindness home with them, filled with ideas about what can make them, and others around them, feel happy.

It has been a wonderful week with lots of discussion, shared experiences and joy!