Visit to Schools Linking in Luton

Lasweek, The Linking Network’s Co-Directors, Meg Henry and Linda Cowie, welcomed Sir Trevor Pears and Bridget Kohner from Pears Foundation, Mark Purvis from The National Lottery, and officials from the Department for Education and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to a Schools Linking visit in Luton.

The visit was a chance for guests to see Schools Linking in action, with pupils from two Luton schools taking part in linking activities designed to build meaningful connections across difference.

The visit highlighted the vital role that Schools Linking can play in helping children and young people develop respect for others, self-confidence, and the confidence to mix with peers from different backgrounds. This comes after the Government recognised Schools Linking in its Protecting What Matters policy paper, published in April 2026.

The Linking Network is grateful to its partners at Pears Foundation, The National Lottery, the Department for Education, and MHCLG for their continued support of The Linking Network’s work in schools.

Luton is one of 28 Local Authority areas across England and Wales benefiting from Schools Linking, with the programme now reaching over 26,000 pupils each year.

Over the course of a school year, the National Schools Linking programme helps pupils from different backgrounds and different schools learn together, get to know one another, and build the foundations for stronger, more connected communities.