Leicester Celebrates with an Ambassadors Forum

Schools Linking Celebration Week was marked in spectacular style in Leicester by launching its Schools Linking Ambassadors Forum.

All the schools currently taking part in this year’s Schools Linking project were invited to send two pupils as their Schools Linking Ambassadors. Project FREE, who lead the programme locally, hopes to make this an annual event to bring together pupil representatives from every Primary school taking part in the Leicester Schools Linking Project. It will be an opportunity for pupils to connect and know that their voices are helping to shape the future of the programme in their local area.

The day began with some familiar games, which helped get the children interacting and starting to get to know each other.

Children were invited to make their own name badges that reflected their identity, which were worn with pride. These badges featured favourite foods, hobbies, colours and flags from countries including Iraq, Poland, England, and India.

The children reflected on all the different activities they had taken part in during the year;  from activities delivered in their respective classrooms, by their own teachers, designed to address the questions, ‘Who am I?’ and ‘Who are we?’, to the work exchanged between classes as a way to learn about each other. Video calls were amongst the most popular memories as were activities addressing the questions, ‘Where do we live?’ and ‘How can we all live well together?’. But class-to-class visits, cementing the relationships and enhancing confidence in each other’s company, were the most popular by far!

After lunch, there was an opportunity for the children to relax and have fun together and the rising noise levels revealed how well that was working!

The day ended with the children thinking about their roles as Ambassadors for the project and what they would say to persuade schools that haven’t yet joined, the key message was clear – ”It’s fun!”

Project FREE wishes to thank the following people for their help in making this event possible –

Debbie Chauhan – offering us free use of a room at The Teaching School Hub at Rushey Mead Academy.

Kieran Vyas –  for capturing wonderful photos and for producing the promotional video.

Chris – from Printing Banners for the wonderful roller banner 

Julie Walters Nisbett – of Leicester NEU who dropped to say hello with a donation of every teacher’s favourite gift……glue-sticks!

The Leicester Schools Linking Project is funded by ; The Linking Network LEICESTERSHIRE, LEICESTER AND RUTLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, Leicester NEU  and The J Reginald Corah Foundation Fund.

Watch this great film about the Leicester programme here https://youtu.be/7xDsqwQaBIw?si=ONEqrk5sKVnb7WQX

Find out more about Project FREE and The Leicester Schools Linking Project here.