Blue Coat is excited to be working towards achieving School of Sanctuary status this academic year.

A School of Sanctuary is dedicated to being a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, particularly those seeking refuge in the UK. This includes individuals who may have faced danger in their home countries, those experiencing difficulties at home, or anyone in need of a safe space. As a School of Sanctuary, we aim to educate our students, staff, and the wider community about the experience of seeking sanctuary and to extend a warm welcome to all, treating everyone as valued and equal members of our school community. We take pride in being a beacon of safety and inclusion for all.

Our commitment includes:

Learn – Educating our students, staff and community about the realities of seeking sanctuary and the issues related to forced migration.

Embed – Fostering a safe and inclusive culture of welcome that benefits everyone, including those seeking sanctuary within our community.

Share – Promoting how our CHRIST values support and guide our efforts with the local community to educate, inspire and raise awareness about what it means to seek sancutuary.

Our pledge as a School of Sanctuary

We support the ‘City of Sanctuary’ vision of the UK as a welcoming place of safety for all and are proud to offer sanctuary to individuals fleeing violence and persecution.

We endorse the City of Sanctuary Charter, and agree to act in accordance with City of Sanctuary values and apply the network principles within our work (as far as our specific context enables us to). We recognise the contribution of people seeking sanctuary. Sanctuary seekers are welcomed, included and supported within our context. We expect our branches or local groups (if any) to support their local City of Sanctuary group if one exists, and will facilitate contact between them and their local City of Sanctuary group.