This document summarizes the efforts of St. Joseph's Primary School to become a School of Sanctuary. It discusses how the school has worked to learn about, embed, and share the values of welcoming refugees and those seeking sanctuary. The school has engaged in numerous projects, workshops, and discussions to educate students and the community about refugees. It has also taken steps to make refugees and those seeking sanctuary feel included by employing staff from refugee backgrounds and providing volunteer opportunities. The school shares its work through various exhibitions and showcases to spread awareness about welcoming those in need of sanctuary.

1. School of Sanctuary

2. We became the first Primary School
of Sanctuary in Swansea in June
2019.
Our celebration was held in
Swansea Civic Centre during
Refugee Week.

3. Schools of Sanctuary are for everyone: the
school itself, pupils, parents, communities, local
people and people seeking sanctuary.
It’s a way to engage sanctuary seekers and
families with their communities and educate
teachers and children about the human right to
sanctuary.
They are schools that are proud to be a place of
safety and inclusion for all.
C. Appleby
Schools of Sanctuary Lead

4. What is a school of Sanctuary?
An accredited School of Sanctuary is one that has received a sanctuary award and
recognition from City of Sanctuary for its good practice in fostering a culture of
welcome and inclusion.
Schools of Sanctuary have demonstrated to City of Sanctuary UK that they have
implemented three key principles and have met the minimum criteria can apply to
become a School of Sanctuary.
 The key principles underpinning a School of Sanctuary are:
1. LEARN Schools help their students, staff and wider community learn about
community learn about what it means to be seeking sanctuary and the issues
surrounding forced migration.
2. EMBED Schools are committed to creating a safe and inclusive culture of
inclusive culture of welcome that benefits everybody, including anyone in their
community seeking sanctuary.
3. SHARE Schools share their values and activities with their local communities.
local communities.

5. Learn…
how our school has learnt about
what it means to be seeking
sanctuary…

7. 2017-2018
Lead Creative Schools Project- Journey
Focus was on Irish immigration to Swansea,
Greenhill in Nineteenth Century.

8. Lead Creative Schools Project- Journey
Funded by Arts Council of Wales
Creative practitioners- Bill Taylor-Beales, Rachel Taylor-Beales, Mandy Lane.
Our work has been exhibited in all of these places.
It is currently installed in Oriel Science Gallery,
Swansea.
Swansea Museum

9. Swansea Museum & Swansea University
Community Events

10. SSAMIS Project -Swansea University (Centre for Migration Policy Research )
joint presentation with St. Joseph’s

11. Volcano Theatre
Swansea University led project
Re-imagining home

12. Grand Theatre
Swansea University-led project
Our Shared Community

13. Postcards from Swansea
Swansea University
(Centre for Migration Policy Research )
PACONDAA Project -
Children worked with artist Bill
Taylor Beales and Nicola
Parsons.

14. Swansea University Bigger Picture Festival
Celebrating faith and culture in our community
This festival encourages equality, diversity and
inclusivity.

15. Assemblies – Children in Y5 presented
assemblies to the rest of the school to
explain what sanctuary is and why
others may seek it.

16. We listened to Sanctuary speakers like Alma,
to hear all about their journeys…

17. …took part in Show Racism the Red
Card Workshop….

18. …and listened to Sanctuary speakers like
Otis, to hear all about their journeys.

19. Sanctuary- The Road to Belonging
Whole school initiative involving Nursery – Year 6
and the wider community. Parents were invited in
to work with their children on the project.

20. Sanctuary- The Road to Belonging
Whole school initiative involving Nursery – Year 6

21. Sanctuary- The Road to Belonging
Whole school initiative involving Nursery – Year 6

22. Embed…
Other actions taken to make others welcome
including those seeking sanctuary…

23. EMBED - Other actions taken to makes others
welcome and includes those seeking sanctuary…
• Governing body approached to pledge their support for
City of Sanctuary and the work they do (reviewed
yearly)
• School TA staff EAL with refugee/ asylum seeker
backgrounds employed.
• Work experience – school provides opportunities for people
seeking sanctuary to volunteer within the school. Volunteers
who have done this and who have gained refugee status
have continued with training and work in schools and are
now employed by other schools.
• Staff funded project from the British Council
to visit Berlin, Germany
• British Council Report shared

24. • Home language and resources
• Class books and Reading material studied that
highlights the refugee crisis
• Pupil workshops – at Volcano with Swansea
College of Art.
• Art funded projects- Arts Council of Wales
• ‘ A Better Welcome to Swansea’ coffee
mornings
• School Laptop initiative
• Bike store
• Young Interpreters Scheme
• Staff training

25. St Joseph’s Cathedral Primary School
A scheme for KS1 and KS2 pupils

26. What is the Young Interpreter’s
Scheme?
 It is an initiative which provides additional support to
pupils who are learning English as an Additional
Language.
 The scheme developed by Hampshire County
Council is a collection of e-learning material which
provides schools with the tools, help and guidance
needed to develop the scheme and to guide Young
Interpreters in their role.
 The scheme is implemented by a designated
member of staff - the Young Interpreter Co-ordinator

27. What is a Young Interpreter?
 Young Interpreters are
empathetic peers who
support the well-being of
newly-arrived EAL learners at
school.
 Young Interpreters receive
special training to help them
in their role and are overseen
by a designated member of
staff – the Young Interpreter
Co-ordinator.

28. What does the Young Interpreter Co-
ordinator do?
 Bespoke e-learning modules and resources allow the Young
Interpreter Co-ordinator to select, train and guide Young
Interpreters into their role whilst ensuring their safeguarding.
 The Young Interpreter Co-ordinator buddies up Young
Interpreters with new arrivals and makes sure they are valued
and kept motivated in their role.
 Young Interpreter Co-ordinators can promote the scheme
through assemblies and ask pupils to apply for the role.
 They can also nominate and invite pupils
to take part.

29. What do Young Interpreters do?
 Once trained, Young Interpreters can be buddied
up with new arrivals to show them around the
school, demonstrate school routines, play games,
spend break and lunch times together and any
other school activity which requires everyday
language.
 Young Interpreters do not replace professional
interpreters or bilingual assistants and should not
be expected to support with new academic
content.

30. Training – we used a range of
resources to train young
interpreters
Situation 1
A new child has started in your class. You see
them on their own at playtime. W hat could
you do?
Situation 2
A child you are helping in the classroom does
not understand when you say the word ‘car’.
How could you help?
Situation 3
You are asked to speak to a child who has the
same language as you. There is a problem
which needs sorting out but the child does not
speak English. W hat could you do?
Situation 4
You are sharing a picture book with a child
who can not read in English. How can you
help them to understand what the book is
about?
Role play cards

31. We identified their
qualities…

33. The children used the globe to identify their own friends,
own skills, and the needs of our school.

34. How we help the Young Interpreters
to refine their skills...

35. Other useful resources...
 https://youtu.be/EpX9B8TLRR8 - The Language
Magician
 https://www.intofilm.org/about

36. Other useful resources...

37. We cannot walk
alone

38. Nursery and Reception –
Paddington -The Refugee Bear

39. Nursery and Reception – discussed how Paddington felt.
Children holding hands walking, climbing on outdoor equipment, snaking
through the yard, painted feet with children’s names written on them.
Panels for the banner –children’s names written on leaves that children had
to find their name to stick it down.

40. Nursery and Reception – children explored the theme you cannot walk
alone by holding hands walking, climbing on outdoor equipment, snaking
through the yard, painted feet with children’s names written on them.
Panels for the banner produced –children’s names written on leaves that
children had to find their name to stick it down.

47. Year 1 and 2- Book study ‘My Name is not Refugee’ – Discussed key
questions in the book e.g. What would they take with them. Children drew
contents of their rucksack on the template provided.

48. Year 3 and 4 Book study ‘The journey’. Children were asked if they could :
• understand how a refugee on a journey might feel?
• describe how the person in the story feels
• draw what they might look like, write the words around their picture
• Think about how you can show their feelings in their face. (To help you,
you can look in a mirror, pull different faces like a sad face and a happy
face).
• Describe how your face changes?
Now draw your own story. Think about a journey that you have been on
that was difficult but when you arrived you were really happy, like the
person in the story at the end. Draw what you looked like and compare the
two. Do you think you can understand how it feels to take a difficult
journey better now? Reflect on Refugees and what you know.

49. "I will stand by you and I will help you."
Powerful messages of solidarity from children
as they send messages in Refugee Week.
What would YOUR message say?

50. Year 5 and 6 Selection of activities:
Book study ‘The Day the War’ came, poetry study ‘Refugees’, VR enquiry ‘Life
as a refugee’, Walk Together-We cannot walk alone, walk around the perimeter
of the school retelling refugee stories. Film study - refugee animations.

51. Share the journey, walking
in the footsteps of
immigrants who have gone
before us. Telling stories
of modern day refugees.
Using VR headsets to explore Aleppo in
Syria and the refugee camps of
Lebanon.

52. Ali’s story (Video footage) – learnt about the
Bekka Valley in the Lebanon. Makeshift camps
for the Syrian refugees, forced to flee from
their lives.
They heard and saw the testaments of real life
people, learnt about the sanctuaries and safe
places in the Bekka valley, where children
laugh, sing, play and rebuild their lives where
they can be children again.

53. Migrants queuing at Mitylini Harbour
TASK-Think pair share
Children worked in pairs then snowballed ideas into larger groups of four
and six to respond to this picture discussing key questions Where do I
come from? Where am I going to?

54. 360 Video- Children learn about what Syrian refugees go through when they
arrive in the refugee camps in the Bekka Valley, Lebanon. Informal tent
settlements and unfinished buildings, large refugee population and a 26% of the
Lebanese population that live in extreme poverty.
TASK
Children revisit their list of wants (completed earlier) and then tabulate a list of
needs as compared to wants. This generates group and class discussion.

55. Refugee 360 VR film- Discussed the audio of Donald Trump saying
‘They want us to take in 200,000 Syrians. They could be ISIS Have you ever
seen a mass migration like it? If I win they are going back…going back.’
TASK- Y5 held class debates based on his speech. Constructing arguments for
and against and then researching facts about asylum seekers to dispel common
myths. Video footage allowed us to discuss the difficult journeys faced by
migrants and why they might make these journeys.

56. The displaced 360 VR film- enabled children to understand better the
migrant situation of today. Nearly 60 million people around the world
have been driven from their homes by war and persecution- more than
any time since WWII.
Half are children. This film follows three of them.
Task
Watch film on the three children write
down any observations or things that
surprise you.
Class discussion post VR session.

57. Share the journey
Year 5 walking in the
footsteps of
immigrants who have
gone before us.
Telling stories of
modern day refugees.

58. The theme of Sanctuary is woven into the
curriculum
Children in Year 5 wrote poems about why
others might want to seek sanctuary

59. Sanctuary
If I was wind I would blow away the burden of sadness
If I was wind I would blow away the mark of abuse
If I was wind I would blow away the agony of war and conflict
If I was wind.
If I was fire I would burn away the terrible feeling of loss of hope
If I was fire I would burn away the torment of disease
If I was fire I would burn away the stinging threat of terrorism
If I was fire.
If I was water I would wash away the pain of suffering
If I was water I would wash away the tears of the young and old
If I was water I would wash away the stigma of homelessness
If I was water.
If I was a dove I would bring love that sweeps away hatred
If I was a dove I would bring joy to the lonely
If I was a dove I would bring peace to our troubled world
If I was a dove I would bring Sanctuary.
By Y5T

60. If I was wind I would blow away war that crumbles our world
If I was wind I would blow away plastic pollution that is strangling our wildlife
If I was wind I would blow away bullies that disrespect the thoughts and
feelings of others
If I was wind.
If I was fire I would burn away illnesses that damage people’s lives
If I was fire I would burn away climate change that is melting the polar icecaps
If I was fire I would burn away envy that makes people dissatisfied with their
own lives
If I was fire.
If I was water I would wash away the abuse that can shatter people’s lives
If I was water I would wash away the silent tears of loneliness
If I was water I would wash away hurtful words that can leave a scar on your
heart
If I was water.
If I was a dove I would bring happiness to all who are grieving
If I was a dove I would bring love to all who show others hatred
If I was a dove I would bring peace between warring nations
If I was a dove I would bring all displaced people sanctuary.
By Y5A

61. Combined ‘Enterprise Week’ to develop entrepreneurialism with raising
raise money for charitable organisations one of these was City of
Sanctuary.
Each class chose different ways to raise money.
As a school the children chose to donate £500
for City of Sanctuary.

65. We Cannot Walk Alone Banner

82. Swansea College of Art UWTSD Workshop at Volcano as part of the
Swansea Schools of Sanctuaru Educational network. Exploring themes
of home and sanctuary, belongings and dreams.

84. Refugee Week 2022-
Banksy and the Refugee Crisis
Pupils learn about Banksy aa a political activist for change e.g.Clacton Pigeon Mural and his funding
of the The Louise Michel Refugee Resuce boat replacement. Banksy and the refugee crisis. Banksy
has also :
He donated wood and supplies from his monumental 2015 installation Dismaland to a refugee camp
in Calais, France, to help build shelters.
He auctioned off a trio of seascapes altered to include empty life jackets—symbolizing those who died
crossing the Mediterranean—to raise nearly $3 million for a Bethlehem hospital.

85. The Son of a Migrant from Syria shows
Steve Jobs is standing while one hand
holds a bag of his belongings over his
shoulder and the other his original
macintosh computer.
In a rare public statement Banksy said:
"We're often led to believe migration is a
drain on the country's resources, but
Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian
migrant.
Apple is the world's most profitable
company, it pays over $7bn a year in
taxes – and it only exists because they
allowed in a young man from Homs."[

86. Share…
How we tell others how we welcome all
including those seeking sanctuary…

87. Showcasing
work…
in Bishop Vaughan Secondary School, Swansea in our Year of Faith

88. Volcano Theatre Dance project –
Where are we coming from, where are we going to…?
Funded by The National Lottery Community Fund Wales Cyngor
Celfyddydau Cymru | Arts Council of Wales Movement Director,
Catherine Bennett worked with the children from St.Joseph’s
and The Mighty New Youth Theatre over a number of weeks.

89. Together with Refugees
Leviticus 19:33-34
33 When a foreigner resides among you in your land,
do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing
among you must be treated as your native-born.
Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in
Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
Standing together with refugees for a more humane,
fair and effective approach that:
• Stands up for people’s ability to seek safety in the
UK no matter how they came here;
• Ensures people can live in dignity while they wait
to hear a decision on whether they will be granted
protection as a refugee;
• Empowers refugees to rebuild their lives, and
contribute to their communities;
• Means the UK works with other countries to do
our bit to help people who are forced to flee their
homes

90. Showcasing
work…
in Swansea Museum
in Taliesin, Swansea
in The Senedd, Cardiff
in Tate Exchange,
Tate Modern, London

91. March 2022
Belfast Conference – Towards a City of
Sanctuary
Schools of Sanctuary Lead Cerian Appleby attended this event with Otis
Bolamu as guest speakers to share the sanctuary work that is being done in
schools in Wales and in particular Swansea. They both spoke representing
Swansea LA and Swansea City of Sanctuary.

92. Seven schools took part and there were four winning
entries per school.
The winning design ideas from all schools were then
combined to form a Swansea Schools of Sanctuary logo.
The winning designers from each school were invited
along to The Glynn Vivian Art Gallery (the first Gallery
of Sanctuary in the UK) to work with artist Rhys Padarn
Jones to see how their ideas had been combined and to
paint the final design ready for schools who are
accredited Schools of Sanctuary to use on social media,
letters and websites.
COLLABORATIVE ART PROJECT –
GLYNN VIVIAN (1St Art Gallery of Sanctuary in UK) and Rhys Padarn Jones
Co-ordinated by Cerian Appleby St. Joseph’s Cathedral Primary SoS Lead

93. Sanctuary words submitted by schools
involved in the project
• Inclusive
• Safe
• Respect
• Refuge
• Welcome
• Care
• Support
• Understanding
• Community
• Haven
• Equal
• Shelter
• Hope
• Noddfa
• Croeso
• Love
• Peace
• Faith
• Kindness
• United
• Hiraeth
• diverse

94. Swansea Schools of Sanctuary
Logo

96. Swansea Schools of Sanctuary Award Celebrations
2022 National Waterfront Museum
St. Joseph’s pupil reading her Sanctuary
poem at the event. Attended by parents,
pupils, Headteacher and school staff.
City of Sanctuary
The city of sanctuary so peaceful and calming
Instead of war so harmful and hurting
City of sanctuary takes care of you
Not like how war abandons you
You're in search of your family
Hoping to find them all so happily
But instead, there is a wall blocking you
But there is a door that can start a new.
By, AJ, Year 6
St. Joseph’s Cathedral Primary School, Swansea

97. Schools of Sanctuary in Swansea Award
Presentation
By
Children’s Commissioner for Wales Rocio
Cifuentes.

98. The World Re-imagined Art project
Teaching racial justice and equality in the curriculum
The images you see represent the poem co-constructed by
the children in Year 5. It is a symbol of the future,
where we stand stronger, growing together. The water runs
from Swansea, from the Tawe to the sea where it joins the
vast ocean, no longer forced to take a narrow path. The cocoon
itself symbolises entrapment, a struggle with what is inside
and a need to escape to something freer, an openness of hearts
and minds. The metamorphosis of what is trapped inside, the
change of the ideals and ideas from the past is
transformational. It is life changing. The butterflies
represent freedom and migration, a move away from
entrapment, enslavement, where the world is brighter, more
colourful where the journey changes those journeying, where a
new, brighter future is made.

99. The World Re-imagined Art project
Teaching racial justice and equality in the curriculum
The chains of the past are painted in copper,
a reminder of Swansea’s industrial past,
when as Copperopolis it dominated the world
and the copper industry. A sign of Wales’s
power as the first industrialised nation in
the world. A reminder of the darker side to
that industry, how copper, whilst shiny and
bright had a darker undertone of slavery;
with the copper being used to make Manillas
used as a form of currency to buy and enslave
African people. The broken chains, another
sign of freedom from enslavement. The
copper is meant to glint in the light or sun, a
reminder that we should not hide from our
hidden, shameful past but that we should
break free and stand up for what is right,
for justice and equality. A new future
together if we only take the time to put the
pieces together through looking back at our
history, moving forward through repentance
and reconciliation.

100. The World Re-imagined Art project
Teaching racial justice and equality in the curriculum
Our globe is a fusion of past and
present, painted by many of the children
that now represent our multicultural,
multi-ethnic, diverse school community. A
school where children come from far and
wide, a school of sanctuary where all are
accepted, seen and welcomed, where
children stand up against inequality and
make a stand for racial justice. From a
place of darkness, restriction and
struggle, a seed of hope can grow, break
free and transform into something full
of life, colour and hope, educating,
transforming and reimagining our world
together for a better future.

101. The World Re-imagined by Year
5
The World Re-imagined…
Imagine a world where there is racial justice,
Imagine a world where the truth is always told
Imagine a world where there are no missing parts, where the jigsaw puzzle is
complete,
Imagine a world where we courageously face our shared history, a history of
enslavement
Imagine a world where people can empathise with others,
Imagine a world where there is reconciliation where people show friendship to each
other,
Imagine a world where there is forgiveness …
Imagine a world where no one is judged by the colour of their skin but they are
accepted for who they are,
Imagine a world where people live in love, no fighting, in harmony
Imagine a world where there is honesty, freedom and not bound by chains.
Imagine a world where responsibility is taken for our actions.
Imagine a world…
Imagine a world where we are all seen.

102. Refugee Week 2023
Theme:
We are excited to see what
our children will produce
around this theme this year
and are looking forward to
sharing what they do with
others to spread the
message.

103. Further information:
 https://schools.cityofsanctuary.org/
 https://schools.cityofsanctuary.org/bec
ome-a-school-of-sanctuary
 https://schools.cityofsanctuary.org/2021/
08/11/becoming-the-first-school-of-
sanctuary-in-swansea