‘Speak for those who cannot speak for themselves’ – Proverbs 31:8
Our Christian Vision
Our deeply Christian vision of ‘Life in all its Fullness’ is at the heart of all we do. We believe that every member of our school community should have the opportunity to flourish and reach their full potential. Courageous advocacy is a vital expression of this vision—an outworking of our commitment to human flourishing and the offer of life in all its fullness for all people. We aim to inspire and embed Christian values throughout our whole school community. Our core values of wisdom, hope, community, and dignity empower our children to look beyond themselves and to take action that helps others to live full and meaningful lives.
Agents of Change
Courageous advocacy calls us to be Agents of Change within the communities we are part of—locally, nationally and globally. As we cultivate an ethos of taking action and challenging injustice, we not only contribute to transforming the lives and circumstances of others, but we too are transformed in the process. Through this, we grow in empathy, resilience, and a deeper understanding of our role in building a fairer, more compassionate world.
Courageous Advocacy at our school empowers pupils to:
- Ask why questions – encouraging pupils to think widely and deeply about the causes of injustice;
- Identify a problem or issue they care deeply about;
- Ask what can be done – encouraging pupils to think of creative ways they can help;
- Investigate and research considering all viewpoints so that they understand;
- Work out a strategy to help change or improve a situation;
- Identify the people with influence who can help make those changes;
- Persuade those with the power to make changes to take action;
- Express themselves confidently and articulately as decision-makers.
Practical Outworking of Courageous Advocacy
- Courageous Advocacy Pause Day
- Supporting a range of charities, e.g. The Royal British Legion, NSPCC and Richmond Aid.
- ‘Grow a pound’ initiative in Year 6 (children choose a cause which they wish to support and raise money)
- School Council projects, e.g. re-designing and re-purposing the Green Leaf Garden
- Eco Warriors projects, e.g. ‘Fill a bag’ initiative
- 40 Acts of Kindness Lent initiative
- R.E. Steering Group
Courageous Advocacy Pause Day
During the summer term, we dedicate a Pause Day to the theme of courageous advocacy. The purpose of the day is to inspire children to engage with a cause that matters to them and to reflect on how they can make a positive difference.
Each year group explores the life of a courageous advocate—someone from history or the present day who has stood up bravely for what they believe in. Past examples have included William Wilberforce, Corrie ten Boom, and Nelson Mandela.
Following this, children are given the opportunity to plan and carry out their own projects, enabling them to experience what it means to be an Agent of Change. Through these experiences, we hope to nurture a lasting sense of responsibility, compassion and the courage to act for others.
Courageous Advocacy Pause Day June 2025
Please see the list below for the figures studied by each class and the projects that the children were inspired to do.
| Year Group | Figure | Project |
|---|---|---|
| Reception | Doctor Barnardo | Making cards for and singing with the elderly at Elleray Hall |
| Year 1 | Betty Greene | Creating a bug hotel to help look after the environment |
| Year 2 | Nelson Mandela | Auditing picture books in the school library, checking for diverse representation Writing letters to the headteacher |
| Year 3 | Bear Grylls | Creating persuasive posters to raise awareness of the non-profit organisation ‘One Tree Planted’ or creating one based on their own idea |
| Year 4 | William Wilberforce | Planning a campaign to improve school – Find a friend, Everyone deserves a friend, Save water Creating tokens in the form of bracelets |
| Year 5 | Corrie Ten Boom | Learning about the declining bee population in the UK and the causes (loss of habitat, climate change, pesticides and viruses) Creating posters and information leaflets to go on an information table in the lobby area to raise awareness Working in pairs/small groups designing their own project to raise awareness or to bring about change, including bee crafts to make with a small group of KS1 children, writing a letter to Munira Wilson about creating more bee friendly spaces in the local area, information PowerPoints to share with another year group |
Meanwhile, Year 6 were very excited to see the real impact of their fundraising efforts through the ‘Grow a Pound’ initiative, which helped rescue two bears and bring them to the safety of a sanctuary on the Isle of Wight.
