St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
Learn to love, love to learn
At St. Bernadette's Catholic School you will find us caring, hardworking and co-operative. We follow the ways of Jesus using our talents and gifts to make our school special. We show respect to all and welcome you.
Head Teacher: Angela Cowings
Hob Moor Road, Yardley, Birmingham, B25 8QL
0121 783 7232
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School of Sanctuary at St Bernadette’s
For some time now, our news media has been reporting stories about migrants, refugees, small boats, the expense of housing people in hotels etc. Much of this has been quite misleading and dehumanising with inaccuracies and wrong ideas taking hold in the minds of many.
As a Catholic school, St Bernadette’s is looking to explore the realities of the asylum system and the experiences of people going through it right now. Our mission statement makes clear that, “… We follow the ways of Jesus using our talents and gifts to make our school special.” We must never forget that Jesus himself was a refugee. We will therefore, be seeking to gain the award of ‘School of Sanctuary’.
What is a School of Sanctuary?
A School of Sanctuary is a school that has received a Sanctuary Award from City of Sanctuary UK or a partner organisation in recognition of its good practice in fostering a culture of welcome, belonging and solidarity for those seeking safety. (1)
How can St Bernadette’s become a School of Sanctuary?
To become a School of Sanctuary, a school must take an intentional and reflective approach to reviewing and refining school practice in relevant areas and demonstrate that they have implemented three key principles:
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LEARN Schools help their students, staff and wider community learn about what it means to be seeking sanctuary and the issues surrounding forced migration.
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EMBED Schools are committed to creating a safe and inclusive culture of welcome that benefits everybody, including anyone in their community seeking sanctuary and working with people seeking sanctuary to co-produce their sanctuary efforts and practice.
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SHARE Schools proudly share their values and activities with their local communities and work collaboratively to build our movement of welcome. (2)
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As we move forward with the award, we will be partnering up with St Chad’s (who are already working hard in this endeavour), making collections for those in need and learning about the real experiences of people seeking refuge. We believe this will be of huge benefit to our children and community in an ever more precarious world.
Notes (1) and (2) taken from the Schools of Sanctuary website.
Monday 27th January
Pilgrimage of Hope: Refugee Journey
On Monday 27th January, classes in KS2 and Year had the opportunity to take part in a Pilgrimage of Hope, reflecting on the journey of refugees.
Station 1
Packing for a Journey: The children put themselves in a refugee’s shoes and imagined what they would pack if they had to flee their home at short notice.
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Station 3
The Long Journey: The children imagined the exhausting and dangerous journey, often across deserts, mountains, and forests, in search of safety.
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Station 5
Final Journey: The children reflected on the final stage of a refugee’s journey, where emotions mixed between relief, excitement, and nervousness as they arrived at their new home.
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Station 2
Emotional Goodbyes: They thought about the emotional goodbyes that refugees must face as they leave everything behind.
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Station 4
Refugee Camps: They paused to consider life in refugee camps, where some refugees wait years before being granted asylum.
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Station 6
A New Home: At the final station, they discussed what it might be like to arrive in a foreign land with a new language and culture.
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This pilgrimage was linked to the Jubilee Year's theme of Pilgrims of Hope, encouraging us all to walk alongside those who are displaced, offering empathy, support, and a shared journey of hope. It also reminded us to keep our hope in God, trusting that He was with us on every journey, and that with faith, we could bring hope to others.
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Watch this video capturing the pilgrims in 4KL.