Dear friends,

As the weather gets colder, we are thinking about how we can make sure every child gets a warm welcome in school and in our communities.

Recent research has highlighted some of the difficulties specifically facing children and families seeking sanctuary -including the barriers they experience buying uniforms, paying for transport to and from school, school meals, IT equipment and data.

It's a helpful reminder to check that every new family gets access to their entitlements from the first day and recognise that new arrivals may struggle to navigate processes to apply for school, access Free School Meals and find free or very affordable uniform. Making it part of initial admissions meeting processes ensures parents have applied or have access to these resources ensure that learners start school on the right foot and help to build trusted relationships. Read the research blog to learn more: Learning is an essential need | CPAG

This half term, we're also asking schools in our network to participate in our festive fundraiser - with every penny helping us to support schools where every child, including those seeking safety, feel safe and supported. Have a look at our Festive Fundraiser blog for some exciting fundraising ideas and resources. 

£30 helps one UK school access free resources, expert advice, events and unique opportunities to improve school practice and ensure children seeking safety feel safe and welcomes in school for a year.

£400 enables one UK school to benefit from our rigorous but supportive award process and become an awarded School of Sanctuary.

£1000 can help us open the Schools of Sanctuary award scheme in a new part of the UK by onboarding and training a new Local Lead - meaning tens more schools can work towards the Schools of Sanctuary award.

We're doing all we can to keep all the support, resources, events and the tailored 1:1 support schools receive as part of the award process completely free - and your support can help us continue to sustain and grow our work. Thank you for standing with us at this important time.

Now read on for details of upcoming trainings, helpful resources and opportunities, and suggested activities for the next few weeks...  

Kind regards,
Megan, Schools of Sanctuary Programme Manager
[email protected]

Help us make sure every child is met with warmth and welcome and get involved with our School of Sanctuary fundraiser. With fun and meaningful suggestions and supporting resources - there is a fundraising idea suitable for every school.

Even better - thanks to the Big Give Christmas Challenge, for one week only this December, every penny raised can be DOUBLED!

We're delighted to welcome Pennycross Primary School (Plymouth), Fishergate Primary School (York) as our newest Schools of Sanctuary.

We also warmly celebrate the reaccreditation of St John Fisher Catholic Primary School and St Paul's Catholic Primary School (Birmingham) .

Click here find out more about the awards process.

• 16th November: International Day for Tolerance
• 20th, 27th November and 4th December at 9.30am: Healing Classrooms Training (International Rescue Committee)
• 26th November @ 4pm: Helping EAL Learners Succeed: The Latest Evidence (Bell Foundation)
• 18th December: International Migrants Day
• Ongoing: Anti-Racism and Human Rights (Amnesty International)

Festive Fundraiser

Join our festive fundraiser and help us support more schools and teachers across the UK to build a culture of welcome for every child, including those seeking safety. 

With three exciting suggested fundraising ideas (importantly differentiated by levels of effort for this already busy half term) there's an idea suitable for every school. What's more - from the 2nd to the 9th December you can DOUBLE your impact with every donation received matched as part of the Big Give Christmas Challenge. 

Thank you for getting involved! Learn more here.

International Migrants Day

The 18th December is International Migrants' Day and a fantastic opportunity to recognise and celebrate the contributions of migrants to your school and community. Some ideas:

• Share stories of migration from your school: this may be staff and learners' own stories of migration or family members, but try to reflect the diversity of reasons people move and journeys they take and also the hopes, skills and contributions they bring with them.
• Share stories of migrants that have contributed to your local area - business owners, public sectors workers, activists and more - to highlight how migrants have shaped the place your community calls home.
• Create a school-wide migration map: display a large world map in a central location and ask staff and learners to pinpoint their connections with the wider world, reflecting your college's global links.

Together, we are building a culture of welcome. If you understand the vital importance of Schools of Sanctuary, please dig deep and help us to spread welcome in schools during these very challenging times. Click here to donate. Thank you.