Courageous Advocacy

Courageous Advocacy

The language we used in relation to Courageous Advocacy is:

Stand Up, Speak Out, Take Action

A courageous advocate is someone who supports, champions and speaks up for a cause that is important and meaningful to them. Courage is needed to persevere and stand up for something or someone you believe in, to make a difference.

At Lanchester Endowed Parochial Primary School we want to support and encourage our children to become courageous advocates, not just locally but nationally and globally.

At some point in life we will all face challenges and need support to help us overcome these barriers. We teach our children that is important to help others regardless of where they come from or what their challenges are. We teach this in many ways; through our work on values, by links to the Bible, other faiths and world views as well as learning about other courageous advocates. We want our children to have confidence to discuss and debate big ideas, to challenge injustice and engage in activities that can bring about change on some level.

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

(Proverbs 31: 8-9)

It is important for our children to appreciate their role as part of a community; to take responsibility, to be able to look after themselves and foster an understanding of their importance, impact and influence in the world. Our School Council is one example of how our children have opportunities to implement change and make a real difference to the world around them through their work on Food Waste.

Courageous Advocacy in our Curriculum

Every other year we take a current issue and build this work into our curriculum in the form of a mini project in the summer term, culminating in a large-scale musical. In 2022, this was all about pollution in the oceans and Key Stage 2 performed ‘Ocean World’ in Consett Empire Theatre.

In Summer 2025, the topic was all about the destruction of the Rainforests and Key Stage 2 performed ‘Yanamamo’ in Consett Empire Theatre.

Famous Courageous Advocates

To have a secure understanding of what courageous advocacy is, each year group explores a person across the globe, both past and present, who has faced injustice and overcome barriers to help others, instigate change and make a difference through their actions. They are all good examples of courageous advocates.

Each year our pupils learn about the work of their special courageous advocate and create a display telling others in the school community about what they have learnt, their reflections on what injustice some of these courageous advocates have faced and how they changed the world for the better.