A Harrogate independent school is offering free places to Ukrainian children displaced by war in their home country.
Brackenfield School, on Duchy Road, has already welcomed one child and another is set to join in September.
Staff are giving them extra support to make sure they feel safe and comfortable in their learning environment and “have a fair opportunity to thrive”.
Joe Masterson, headteacher at Brackenfield, said:
“We are privileged to welcome these extremely brave and resilient children into our school community and are doing all we can to ensure our new pupils are as much a part of school life as every other child.
“Everyone deserves an education in a safe and caring space and we’re proud to be hosting Ukrainian children in our school and making them part of the Brackenfield family.”
Read more:
Mr Masterson said it was also a valuable learning opportunity for other students.
He added:
“They can learn and ask first-hand about Ukrainian culture, gain a better understanding of the world around us and see with their own eyes that giving a helping hand makes everyone stronger.”
It’s believed that 2.5 million children have fled Ukraine since the start of the war, many leaving everything behind and being displaced for months before arriving in a safe country.
Deputy head Paul Jenkins with pupils.
Brackenfield is one of seven independent schools owned by Forfar Education to welcome Ukrainian refugees.
John Forsyth, chief executive of the Forfar Group, said its schools had a moral duty to support Ukrainian families as they settle into UK life.
He said:
“Forfar had taken the decision to offer free places to Ukrainian children fleeing conflict at the time the war broke out, so we’re proud to be leading the way for other independent schools considering doing the same.
“It’s important to show solidarity in times of crisis. We believe everyone has the right to a good and safe education, which is why we have opened our doors to those who need it most exactly when they need our help.”
Forfar has offered places in all of its schools, with no limit of the number of spaces available.
Tractor run inspires children’s learning in Pateley BridgeChildren were so excited by seeing hundreds of tractors parading through their town a week ago that they have been using the experience to learn.
Many youngsters from Sunflowers Day Nursery in Pateley Bridge watched Knaresborough Young Farmers Club’s tractor run on March 13. Some even rode alongside adults in tractors.
The event, which attracted a record 383 tractors, started at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate, stopped in Pateley Bridge for lunch and ended in Knaresborough.
Children were overwhelmed by the site of so many tractors.
It made such a big impression on young minds that the nursery adopted tractor-themed learning last week.
Nursery manager Heather Clark Kelly said:
“Many of our little Sunflowers were totally overwhelmed by the amount of tractors they saw and their experiences have totally impacted on our learning this week.
“We have been talking about tractors, counting tractors, classifying tractors be colour, lining up tractors, sharing pictures of our own tractors and finally concentrating on our different skills to colour and cut out tractors to make a huge picture.
“Everything which happens in the children’s lives presents a learning opportunity, and this was no exception.”
Read more:
- Record turnout for return of Knaresborough farmers’ tractor run
- Dogs saved after falling down hole near Pateley Bridge