St Joseph’s is a voluntary aided Catholic primary school in the Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia, with around 500 pupils, 45% of whom have English as an additional language (EAL).
Recognising the school’s efforts to welcome children from refugee and asylum seeker families, St Joseph’s became the city’s first Primary School of Sanctuary and was presented with the award by the Lord Mayor of Swansea.
The journey began through the Lead Creative School initiative funded by the Welsh Government and Welsh Arts Council, which saw the pupils exploring 19th century Irish immigration to Wales. St Joseph’s Cathedral was built in order to provide for the faith of these new arrivals.
Pupils’ artwork, including a sanctuary sculpture and song, were displayed in the Swansea Museum, Swansea University’s Taliesin Arts Centre, the Tate Modern in London, and in the Senedd.
Previously, refugee parents would ask the headteacher how to access services and support, and with around 30 pupils from asylum seeker families eventually advice from the City of Sanctuary charity was sought. A dedicated Sanctuary Lead Teacher was appointed, staff were trained, and the governing body pledged support for School of Sanctuary status with annual progress reviews.
St Joseph’s has developed EAL classes and offered volunteering opportunities to parents from asylum seeker and EAL backgrounds. Many of those who participated have gone on to gain refugee status and continued working in schools or entered training.
The theme of sanctuary is woven into the curriculum, with class books and reading materials highlighting the issue, and pupils have explored refugee camps in Lebanon using virtual reality headsets. The school’s Enterprise Week activities also involve fundraising for charities including City of Sanctuary.
Additional support is provided for pupils with EAL and from asylum seeker backgrounds, such as laptops and class resources translated into their home languages. A Young Interpreters scheme sees fellow pupils trained and supervised by staff to act as a ‘buddy’ through the school day.
St Joseph’s pupils have also exhibited their School of Sanctuary class work in other schools, to help encourage more participation in the scheme. Following its successful Estyn inspection in February 2022, the school was asked to share good practice in creating a culture of inclusion that supports pupils’ well-being, encourages positive attitudes to learning and secures progress and achievement for all.
The Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales last year published Love The Stranger, a set of guiding principles to inform a Catholic response to the issue of refugees and migrants.