Burghclere secondary school welcomes award-winning author

Topics of multiculturalism and refugees on curriulum

A BURGHCLERE secondary school recently welcomed an award-winning author during a week when the topic of refugees and multiculturalism went under the microscope.

The Clere School, Earlstone Common, recently hosted a series of events on the topics and, last Tuesday, author Jo Cotterill, who wrote the award-winning book Looking at the Stars, visited the school.

She spoke about her book, which examines the life of a family whose homeland has been ravaged by war for months.

She also led a creative writing workshop for Year 7 pupils.

The following day, pupils took part in an interactive session with Howard Grace and Mohammad Awais Tahir of the Peace and Integration Forum about identity and social conditioning.

Pupils also watched the Golden Globe award-winning documentary Beyond Forgiving, which portrays the journey of two South Africans to bring reconciliation to their country post-apartheid.

Last Thursday, Claudia Glyn from Southampton and Winchester Visitors Group spoke to pupils and staff about her work with asylum seekers and refugees.

The week concluded with Years 7, 8 and 9 having a non-school uniform day and cake sale, with money raised to go towards the work of Southampton and Winchester Visitors Group and the Peace and Integration Forum.

The organiser, learning resource manager Jenifer Klepfer, said: “It was great for pupils to have the opportunity to personally engage with the issues around immigration and multiculturalism as they learn to become citizens of the world.”