Courageous Advocacy at Worlebury

At Worlebury St. Paul's Church School, we encourage everyone to stand up for what is  right, even when it is challenging, and to advocate for fairness, justice and positive change. This involves teaching children to be active participants in their communities by promoting moral courage, empathy and social responsibility.

'A Courageous Community built on Love, Care, Joy and Peace'

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”    Joshua 1.9

In practice, courageous advocacy at Worlebury includes:

     PROMOTING MORAL VALUES

We focus on teaching children to recognise and stand up against injustice, bullying or unfair treatment, even if it means going against the 'norm' or facing opposition. We talk about being 'Upstanders' in situations where we know that someone is being treated unfairly or if we see an injustice. We teach the children about making the 'right choice'.

     EMPOWERING PUPIL VOICES

We encourage our children to express their opinions, share their ideas and take action on issues that matter to them, fostering confidence in speaking out for themselves and others. We have a 'School Council' which is made up of a representative from each class, plus our four House Captains. The children bring different ideas and issues that are important to them and the children in their class to a council meeting; they then put these ideas into action for change. Click to read more about our School Council>

      DEVELOPING EMPATHY AND COMPASSION

By fostering a sense of care and responsibility for others, we help children understand the importance of advocating for those who may not be able to stand up for themselves. For example, our Year 6 pupils each have a Year R buddy to look after, allowing them to practise being caring and supportive and building their confidence and sense of responsibility for others.

      ENCOURAGING CRITICAL THINKING

We also explore various societal issues though our curriculum learning, worships and classroom discussions. We encourage children to critically assess different situations and issues, question unfair practices and think about ways that they can contribute to solutions.  For example, one class thought about the question, 'Why are some people hungry?' which then led to the setting up of a Food Bank collection centre at the school run by the children.

 At Worlebury St. Paul's Church School, courageous advocacy aims to build a foundation of character education where our children learn to be responsible, empathetic and proactive citizens.