Full marks to our schools from Children’s Commissioner
EAST MARSH PUPILS ASKED WHAT THEY WANT
CHILDREN from Grimsby’s East t Marsh put their stamp on Government policy post Covid when they welcomed a top children’s rights s advocate.
Children’s Commissioner for Eng- land Dame Rachel de Souza OBE E visited Phoenix Park Academy as s part of her The Big Ask initiative. For Dame Rachel, the visit also o served as a trip down memory lane. . Scunthorpe-born, she visited former r school St Bede’s Catholic Academy y before travelling to North East Lin- colnshire.
Her father David Kenny, a retired d steelworker, lives in Grimsby. Dame Rachel came into post in n March and wants every child to have e their say in The Big Ask. It reaches s out to children from nursery age e upwards.
England and Manchester United d footballer Marcus Rashford has s helped promote the survey and, so far, there have been 320,000 responses.
“It asks how Covid has been for young people,” said Dame Rachel. “It goes into barriers and issues and asks what young people need and why. I also wanted it to tackle this lost generation issue. Young people still have dreams and aspira
The staff here are clearly doing a fantastic job. The school is the sort of good example I am looking for and I’d like to come back and hear more Dame Rachel de Souza OBE
tions for their future. They know what it is they need to make them happen.”
The survey closes at the end of May and a report will be compiled in the summer that will provide ministers with powerful evidence to bring about change.
“It has been a fantastic response. I’m not going to pre-empt the report
but certain areas are already coming through strongly. These include anxiety, mental health and school, specifically exams and catching up.” She met Key Stage 2 and 3 students at Wellspring Academy Trusts alternative provision based at Phoenix House on Grimsby’s Harold Street.
“Hearing from children themselves is really powerful. They were brilliant. We had some lovely responses. One was really focused on wanting to be a mechanic. “We had really different answers but, generally, lockdown has not been great for them and all said how happy they were when the school was opened again.
“The staff here are clearly doing a fantastic job. The school is the sort of good example I am looking for and I’d like to come back and hear more.” Rachel’s trip was hosted by Phoenix House Executive Principal Phil Hutchinson and Head of Academy Jo Indian.
He said they had been “really privileged” to have been part of The Big Ask project. “It is a really important survey and aligned with our values that young people’s voices are heard and understood,” Phil said. “The visit’s a real positive for the area. We are working hard to support young people and it is great our superb staff have an opportunity to show off their skills. “Young people always provide us with honest feedback and it’s important we learn from them. The pandemic has had a big impact on them and their families and it is essential that we support them moving forward. “I’d like to thank Dame Rachel for visiting and listening to our young people in particular.”
The Children’s Commissioner also met with officers from North East Lincolnshire Council, who work in partnership with Wellspring Academy Trust on alternative provision. As well as Phoenix House, it runs Park House and Sevenhills academies, Littlefields Academy in Grimsby, Beacon Academy in Cleethorpes and Lacey Gardens and Eastfield schools, in Louth.
The council’s Inclusion Lead Jenni Steel said: “It’s a privilege to meet Dame Rachel. We are lucky she is born and bred in the area and understands the challenges that we face but she knows from this visit that we keep young people at the heart of what we do.”
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