THRESHFIELD’S Upper Wharfedale School has become the first secondary school in Craven to be awarded School of Sanctuary status.

A School of Sanctuary award is given to schools that help students, staff and the wider community understand what it means to be seeking sanctuary and to extend a welcome to everyone as equal, valued members of the school community.

The school was presented with a certificate in recognition of their achievement at a special assembly by Charles Dobson, chairman of Skipton Refugee Support Group.

Students have undertaken activities looking at the plight of refugees and last summer heard first-hand the journey of 12 year old Gulwali Passarlay as he travelled from Afghanistan to the UK.

Staff and Students celebrated Refugee Week in June 2018, by hosting asylum seekers from Bradford. Plans are being made for a joint art exhibition to celebrate Refugee Week in June 2019. Students have worked with the Craven homeless hub producing dignity packs for the homeless, as well as sending 60 Christmas presents to refugees based in the Bradford area.

Assistant head Helen Mukherjee said: ‘The award is a recognition of the Social, moral, spiritual and cultural work that takes place at Upper Wharfedale School.”