We're inspiring Sunderland schoolchildren to celebrate creativity and inclusion
The city’s new Mayor was on hand to help young people get creative and explore diversity.
Mayor of Sunderland, Cllr Ehthesham Haque, who is also the Labour councillor for Barnes ward, popped into Broadway Junior School to help launch the NATRE Spirited Arts competition.
Organised by the National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE), the competition will see one entry from each class across the school, encouraging young minds to explore diversity within their community through artistic expression.
The competition invites students aged 3 to 19 to reflect on profound questions surrounding religious and non-religious worldviews, using various forms of art such as painting, drawing, and sketching.
Throwing his support behind the project, Cllr Haque connected with students and answered their questions.
David Walton-Jonas, headteacher at Broadway Junior School, said: “We strive for all of our children to leave us with the opportunity to flourish, achieve highly and we promote wellbeing for all.
“Our diversifying community is reflected in our school’s curriculum where we also teach explicitly how to be kind to one another.
“By taking part in the NATRE Spirited Arts Competition, we have further embraced cultural differences; it is something our Mayor is rightly keen to support – and promote.
“His visit to our school inspired members of our Pupil Parliament and we look forward to many more opportunities to open doors for our wonderful children.”