Overbury C of E First school situated near Bredon Hill in the southern part of our diocese has been awarded a silver Global Neighbours award for the second time. Their first was awarded in 2019.
This accreditation scheme, run by Christian Aid in partnership with the Church of England Education Office, celebrates global citizenship in schools and through free training and resources, empowers children to be fantastic global neighbours and ‘courageous advocates for justice’.
Assistant Headteacher Miss Charlotte Davies who leads on this work for the school said:
“Being a part of the Global Neighbours scheme gives us a platform by which we can talk about important global issues with our children. It encourages the children to think not just about themselves but about all our neighbours, both here and abroad, and makes us feel like we can take action and are justified in doing so.”
“We empower the children by giving them the independence to take responsibility for how they will support worthy causes. By participating they grow in character, self-belief and emotional awareness and become brilliant citizens of the world.”
Shelby, year 5 said:
“The global neighbours award helps us learn more about the world and to inspire others to help the world too… Next time we’re going for gold!”
The schools’ activities for the Global Neighbours Award have supported local, national and international causes, supporting disadvantaged communities as well as endangered animals and the environment.
They have helped the local community by donating harvest festival donations to their local foodbank, and the children have taken responsibility for leading the collective worship. They’ve also helped improve the local environment by litter picking, growing sunflowers and bean plants and creating a bug house for spiders and woodlice.
Pupils have written letters to the Prime Minister, taken part in ‘The Big School Bird Watch’ and organised and manned stalls for an all-school Macmillan coffee morning. They’ve also supported Save the Children, Christian Aid, Children in Need and Comic Relief through non-uniform days. The children have made their own videos promoting what they’re doing, and it was their idea to add these to the school’s website.
One of the international activities that has particularly caught the children’s interest is about supporting an environmental charity working to protect endangered animals.
Anuj, year 4 said:
“Every class voted for which animals they want to sponsor. So far we’ve adopted 3 Orangutans, a Whale Shark, and a Rhino and have soft toys from the charity in each classroom to show this. The sponsorship money helps keep the animals safe and helps the environment. We’ve all learnt a lot about these animals too.”
These adoptions feature strongly in the children’s videos as do their links with Malawi and raising money to buy backpacks containing educational supplies for child refugees whose education has been disrupted, so that they can continue their schooling.
The school have supported people in Malawi in multiple ways; they’ve had Zoom calls with a school called Kaps Model School, giving all the children an insight into different ways of life, they’ve ‘twinned’ their school toilets and have donated books to an international charity called ‘Building Futures for Malawi’. The Global Neighbours Award assessors particularly praised the school for these links and have encouraged the school community to do more with Malawi as they strive for Gold.
The school also ensures that activities are linked back to the bible. Shelby, Year 5 commented: “When we were celebrating this Silver Award with the rest of the school and because we want to go for Gold next time, we handed out slips of paper to everyone and this is what it said: ‘Do what is just, show constant love’ Micah 6:8,”
