Kettering primary school pupils celebrate different cultures during 'vibrant and meaningful' week

The ‘vibrant’ event at Hayfield Cross Church of England School saw students of diverse families, cultures, worldviews, and aspirations share their life experiences.

Designed by staff with the aim of helping children better understand themselves and one another, the week offered pupils the chance to reflect, connect, and celebrate what it means to be part of the school community.

Class teacher and RE subject leader Mrs Hope said: “Celebrating Us Week was a powerful reminder of the strength and beauty in our diversity whilst bringing our community closer together. It was fantastic to see and hear the buzz throughout the school after each session which is credit to our amazing volunteers. A lasting impression has been made on everyone involved.”

The week began by focusing on families exploring the different types of families that exist with creative activities such as family portraits, collages, and designing family crests. They shared their experiences and reflected on what makes their families special, discovering how family life can look different for everyone.

Local role models, including parents and professionals from across the community, visited classrooms to talk about their careers and values. Children writing about their dream jobs and reflect on the qualities they hope to develop as they grow.

Pupils visited interactive stalls led by guests from various faiths, including the school's own Mr Brown who spoke about Islam. Savan Shah from Go Dharmic Northampton showcased Hinduism and Jainism. Children took part in reflective activities such as Buddhist-inspired meditation and awe walks through nature.

To learn about the different cultures across the school community families shared their different heritages. Parents and carers showed pupils a wide range of cultures, including those from Zimbabwe, Poland, India, the Caribbean, Germany, and Romania.

Children got the chance to experience music, traditional dress, food tasting, artefacts, and storytelling.

The Celebrating Us Week ended with a celebration for families and friends with dance drama, music and food.

Class teacher and PSHE leader, Mr Brown, said: “Representation has always been an important factor and something that is worth celebrating.

"The fact that we have so much in common as a community and yet we have wider backgrounds filled with character, colour and contrasts makes celebrating us at Hayfield Cross a joy to partake in.”

Pupils gave the week an enthusiastic thumbs up.

Joshua, age 7, said: “My favourite part about Celebrating Us Week was how many visitors we had in. I liked that they told us lots of information and brought things in to show us.”

Seven-year-old Jacob added: “I really enjoyed this week because we explore different cultures, religions and jobs. It was very interesting and I learnt a lot from all of the volunteers.”