Foleshillfields vision project John Gulson Primary School Large primary in inner city of Coventry...

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John Gulson Primary School

Large primary in inner city of Coventry (catchment in Foleshill and Hillfields) 587 on roll 29% FSM (estimated 45% eligible) High Pupil mobility (6%) High percentage in overcrowded households High indicator of School Deprivation (0.4)



Ethnicity - 38% Pakistani 22% Bangladeshi 13% Indian 4% White British Increasing numbers of refugees/asylum seekers 25 languages spoken in school


Global Citizenship

Post-SATs summer programme with yr 6 started summer 2002, in response to stresses

on community/children following “9/11” community/school partnership - a good-sized

team of local volunteers and professionals refined each year based on pupil, teacher and

volunteer feedback contributes to HMI “Achievement in PSHE is

outstanding.” - June 2007


Other Positive Outcomes

Relationships between pupils, and between pupils and key adults in the community Yr 10/11/12 pupils who were in GC in yr 6, now

volunteer with foleshillfields vision project – inc. GC Opening up key issues

identity/Britishness/faith racism and Islamophobia

Active, positive, sustained engagement between local communities and school


Key strengths of GC

A diverse team

Work on identity issues

Making it fun

Modelling good relationships


A Diverse Team

Wide range of adults, young adults, teenagers Parents, ex-pupils, older siblings International students (Coventry Uni) Youth, Children's and Community workers Artists (paid) Community and voluntary organisations

Led by volunteer who is a long-term Governor, and a local youth and community worker


Work on Identity Issues

My Self, My Family, My Community, My Country, My World

Britishness Designing a flag, writing our own national anthems “Who's British?” and geographical work

Empire and Migration history illustrated with personal (family) stories from adults in

classroom starting with making a big map of pupil family origins looking at global statistics

Tackling the controversial issues which arise racism, Islamophobia, national identity


Making it Fun

Lots of creative content – crafts, music, circus, drama, rap, procession, photography, games, newsletter

Lots of volunteers – lots of opportunity for individual/small group attention and engagement

Ground rules for volunteers giving individual children choices, including to

constructively opt out of activities chatting and relationship building seen as key

outcome / learning opportunity


Relationships are the key

Modelling a diverse group of adults (including teachers and TAs) being friends, and working together Working together, having fun together Developing leadership

Building (and building on) community relationships long-term local residents, new arrivals, front-line workers (youth and children's workers, community

workers, etc), neighbourhood management, older young people, including from local secondary


A platform for cohesion!


Building on Success

Starting long-term link with a Kenyan School Bringing in local Kenyans (and visitors). Working from pre-existing links (not the central

ones to most pupils families). Mobile phones (£25 for four phones for one hour)

proved the key technology to reach this part of rural Africa - supported by email available in nearby city.

“How many cows do you have?”

Beginning to spread the programme


Two useful ideas

A workable week: My Self, My Family, My Community, My

Country, My World

Community is full of resources Support their leadership Ask for their help Think creatively about who to bring in


Tackling Controversial Issues “Head On”

“What you do speaks so loudly, I can't hear what you say.”

Model these at least as much as talking about them: cross community friendship, and valuing diversity active citizenship, and hopefulness about social cohesion thoughtful engagement with controversial issues

Crucial that the adult team can & do talk directly about the issues with each other, including across social divides.

Young people will have a wide range of responses to this kind of work. Provide a wide range of contexts – and get a wide range of human resource into the classroom.



Heather Parker

[email protected]



Sayeed AhmedDeputy Head Teacher

[email protected]

www.covschools.co.uk/johngulson

Please get in touch!

Foleshillfields vision project John Gulson Primary School Large primary in inner city of Coventry...

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