Courageous Advocates

What is a courageous advocate?

A courageous advocate is someone who champions a cause which is special and meaningful to them.

We are encouraging our pupils to become ‘Agents for Change’- courageous advocates, not just locally, but nationally and globally to sustain the wonderful world that God created for us.

It is important for our children to appreciate their role as part of a community; to take responsibility, to be able to look after themselves and to foster an understanding of their importance, impact and influence in the world.

To become leading lights in our community and our world

It is our belief that we can make a real difference just by making small changes and by having hope and aspiration to make bigger changes. We look for opportunities to make changes in serving the common good to strive for a fairer world, reflecting the words of Mark (12:29-31) ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself’.

Through being courageous advocates we ask questions to encourage awareness and discussion about injustice around the world from ‘Why is there too much litter?’ to ‘Why don’t some people have enough food to eat?’ We think about actions and solutions to highlight and change some of the unfair things that are happening in our local and unique context but also in the wider world. We look at the bigger picture and consider why there is injustice and what response we can offer to help to rebalance inequality and disadvantage. We question why decisions are made and how we can work together to challenge the injustice and unfairness we see and encourage people to see things from a different perspective.

We recognise that making a difference involves giving time and commitment and that it sometimes requires courage to act in our responsibility towards others. We learn to make decisions that will affect ourselves and others and to consider the consequences of our actions.

At some point in life we will all face challenges and need support to help us overcome these barriers. We teach our children that it is important to help others when we can no matter who they are, where they come from or what challenges they may face. We teach this through the teachings of the Bible and learning about other courageous advocates.

Our Christian values and carefully planned opportunities in our curriculum ensure that the children regularly discuss and debate the big issues, to challenge injustice and to engage in activities that can bring about change are always present.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fasirly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”Proverbs 31:8-9

Each of our classes are becoming champions for change for a particular cause, charity or injustice. Across the year they are working to educate themselves and others to make a difference. Through our class worships they are sharing their work with the wider school community and families.

In 2022-23 our focuses are:

• Reception – The Trussell Trust Nantwich Food Bank
• Year 1 – The Woodland Trust
• Year 2 – Keep Britain Tidy
• Year 3 – Anti-plastic campaign
• Year 4 – Mental Health and Well Being
• Year 5 – Save the Bees
• Year 6 – The Blue Cross and animal rights

In the summer term Year 5 participate in the John Muir Award for Stewardship – they work with Natural England to learn about conservation of Wybunbury Moss, a National Nature Reserve (NNR) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and how important looking after such a place has wider impact for the world.

We support a range of charities in our local area, nationally and globally. The school council work with staff, governors, parents, pupils and St. Chad's Church to identify worthy causes to support.

In recent years we have carried out a range of different fund raising to support many good causes, some of which include:

• Nantwich Food Bank
• Sports Relief;
• Comic Relief;
• Children in Need;
• Team Lewis Trust;
• Operation Christmas Child;
• The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

Picture News:We use Picture News because it provides opportunities for children to learn from our world and develop respect for other’s beliefs, feelings and faiths. It encourage exploration, discussion, challenge and inspire children to learn! To ask big questions.

‘What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God’ Micah 6:8