The Year 5 pupils at Rouge Bouillon School have read various newspapers, looked at photographs of refugee camps all over the world, studied data in their maths classes and listened to a talk from local charity Jersey Cares Refugee Aid Group.
Jacombe Meadows (9) said: ‘Some people hate refugees and I don’t think that’s fair. It’s been sad to look at all the pictures of people living in refugee camps.
‘It’s important for schools to raise money. We have got to respect everyone, no matter who they are and what they do. Children in Jersey are very lucky.’
The children have raised £115 for the Island charity, which regularly runs trips to both Calais and Paris.
Year 5 teacher Helen Stuart said: ‘We decided we should do a term looking at refugees because there is a lot going on in the news at the moment. One of our key values in the school is respect and we want to show children that they should have respect for others, no matter where they come from.
‘We have done things like put lots of different items on a table and let the students choose what they would take with them if they had to leave their country.
‘We have also been reading books about refugees and looking at different news stories seeing where the camps are and what’s the current situation. The children have really enjoyed it and have been asking lots of questions.’
Laura Ridley and Mark Le Voguer, two volunteers for JCRAG, presented their experiences to the students. Miss Ridley has travelled to both Calais and Paris with JCRAG and two refugee camps in Greece. Mr Le Voguer has travelled to Paris in recent weeks, taking with him blankets and warm clothes Islanders had donated. One pupil asked Miss Ridley what the boats were like carrying hundreds of refugees.
She said: ‘The boats are quite small but they try and fit as many people in them as possible.
‘Everyone is just really tightly squashed in.
‘Sometimes these boats break down in the middle of the sea.
‘They are not good boats. Sometimes the boats do sink but often the coastguard will go and
help them.’
The children presented the volunteers with the money they had collected and Mr Le Voguer said: ‘It doesn’t matter how big or small the things you do are – the fact you are raising awareness is helping refugees.’
Joana Martins (9) said: ‘It’s very sad to know that some children are unaccompanied in camps without anyone else.
‘I don’t think I would cope very long without my mummy or daddy.
‘I think I am going to
get some posters done and give them to my dad’s work so we can raise some
more money.’
