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Year 9 Design Tech Textiles work:- Pages 24
Sameen Tonka Billy
Cherwell boys
Josiah, Jakob & Thomas
Bethany Jonas, James, Darren & Amaani
European Parliament Ambassador School
Academic Enrichment @CherwellEnrich
Contact: Miss Richer (cricher@cherwellschool.org)
We are thrilled to become one of the very first schools in the UK to earn official accreditation as a European Parliament Ambassador School.
What does being a European Parliament Ambassador School (EPAS) mean?
The EPAS programme connects 1500 schools across Europe into a collaborative international network of young people, challenging them to run activities promoting discussion, debate and activism about issues that affect young people across Europe. As an European Parliament Ambassador School, we can connect students with global leaders across Europe, experts in a range of fields and insights into careers beyond the UK.
What was the brief?
We were successful in our application to be one five UK pilot schools for the EPAS programme. Our brief was to gather a group of students to become ‘junior ambassadors’: representatives for the school to the European Parliament and for the European Parliament to our school community. We were asked to set up an EU InfoPoint in school, to run a cultural event, to organise a debate and to communicate about the EPAS work with the public.
What did we do to earn accreditation?
An EU Cherwell logo
We opened out the opportunity to become an EPAS Junior Ambassador to Year 11 students, inviting them to take part in a month-long programme after competing their GCSE course. 50 students signed up, with 42 students successfully completing the programme to earn their accreditation. Throughout the month, they impressed visitors with their engagement, thoughtfulness and intelligent approach and we are proud to celebrate their achievements—all the more so because it has been completed during their holidays!
EPAS Day 1: Europe and Shared Values
We began the programme with an introduction to the European Union with Asher Jacobsberg, the UK coordinator of the EPAS network. Through an online seminar and quiz, he introduced the core values and structures unifying Europe and some areas of debate and controversy within the EU. We then reflected on our own values, using a ‘knockout tournament’ form to stimulate debate. Students selected a country to represent, researching it for our EU InfoPoint. We finished with a series of small debates about moving from values to policy and Britain’s future role in a European political dialogue.
European Parliament Ambassador
Academic Enrichment @CherwellEnrich
Contact: Miss Richer (cricher@cherwellschool.org)
EPAS Day 2: Leadership and Collaboration
Students began the second day by dividing into project groups and taking on a specialist role within their team, such as communications officers, project managers, creative directors and researchers. We linked up with Toby Wardman, Head of Communications at SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies), about how science advice works, the challenges and opportunities presented by Covid, the role of scientists in leading the EU Green Deal and the potential of leadership through collaboration and innovation. Toby shared his experiences as a Brit living in Brussels and personal observations about Britain’s changing relationship with the EU over the past ten years. Students then completed a leadership survey to reflect on their own style and preferences, using these to help form effective teams of their own. We finished the day with an inspiring, animated and wide-ranging talk and Q&A with Judith Bunting, a former MEP for the South East, who shared anecdotes about her own experiences of campaigning, leadership and committee work. She recommended walking towards trouble, seeking opportunities, pushing (and pushing again) and achieving more with others than alone.
Judith Bunting, former MEP
Academic Enrichment @CherwellEnrich
Contact: Miss Richer (cricher@cherwellschool.org)
EPAS Day 3: Arts, Culture and Language
The third day explored how arts and culture can become a shared reference point and a way to connect and celebrate what unites us. Students began with a quiz, learned about translation and multilingualism in a talk from Mark Smith, Head of English Translation for the European Parliament, spoke to former student Emily about studying new languages at university, shared food from different European countries and planned their project to a soundtrack of European music. In the afternoon, students combined legal thoughts with creative ones in a ‘poetic justice’ workshop, reading EU legislation and turning it back into an expression of fundamental values through the form of blackout poetry.
EPAS Day 4: The Future of the EU
In our final day, we drew together our work across the whole EPAS programme to consider what ‘global Britain’ really means, the UK’s future role in Europe and how young people can shape the political narrative. We began with a thought-provoking talk and discussion with Professor Michael Shackleton with his reflections on his 30 years working in the European Parliament, the challenges of finding a 'halfway house' Brexit and the questions this generation will be left to determine.
Professor Shackleton stayed to watch two debates on two central themes emerging from our project work around diversity and collaboration: 'This House believes Europe should have a common Covid strategy' (Noah, Lou, Rowan and Eilidh) and 'This House believes Europe is "united in diversity" (Georgina, Ava, Rayan and Francisco).
Academic Enrichment @CherwellEnrich
Contact: Miss Richer (cricher@cherwellschool.org)
We finished by expressing our voice through lobbying postcards and our own 'manifestos for a global Britain'. At the end of the day, we celebrated students’ achievements, awarding them with their Junior Ambassador accreditation, certificates and European Parliament branded goods (from thermos flasks to frisbees, pencil cases to bags)!
Debate teams in action—with special awards presented by Professor Shackleton
Academic Enrichment @CherwellEnrich
Contact: Miss Richer (cricher@cherwellschool.org)
Students were also acknowledged in a special video message of congratulations from Oxford East MP, Anneliese Dodds (https://twitter.com/ CherwellEnrich/status/1415987455568879617)
Our takeaway message:
Whatever your views, get informed, get involved and get political.
Read diversely, work with people who share your values and seek out influence.
EPAS Takeovers
For our public communication, students decided to run what we called ‘EPAS Takeovers’ - running a lesson for Year 7 or Year 8 on a topic emerging from their EPAS project work.
7JTy’s Social Wellbeing lesson was taken over by Alice, Aisling, Molly, Safya and Eilidh, who drew on their research to discuss how we measure and improve quality of life across Europe through an interactive 'game of life'.
Academic Enrichment @CherwellEnrich
Contact: Miss Richer (cricher@cherwellschool.org)
Ariane, Anoushka, Ava, Georgina, Rayan and Weiyen’s EPAS Takeover for 7DN focused on the impact of climate change on migration in Europe. They reimagined their research on the EU Green Deal through an interactive workshop fun, educational and inspirational in one!
Torrential rain didn't dampen Year 8s enthusiasm for their PE Takeover lesson. Hashem, Mazin, Charlie, Jibreel, Henry and Beanie taught the value of integration and competition through a Euros football tournament.
Rowan, Lou and Noah introduced 7CO to the oceans, climate change and why debates on fishing in the EU are so important.
Francisco took over 7NS's tutor time for an EU quiz and seminar on the environment, the economy and social values.
Daniel and Caitlin discussed migration and asylum with 8RHk - using maps
Academic Enrichment @CherwellEnrich
Contact: Miss Richer (cricher@cherwellschool.org)
and data as a springboard to thinking about the reasons for migration, our ethical responsibilities and the supportive work of European agencies and charities.
EPAS Specialisms
Our junior ambassadors also wrote up articles on a specialist area of their choice, with topics including the environment, discrimination, human rights law, UK-EU trade, the political situation in Poland, asylum and Covid vaccine policies. We have been able to share their work with relevant people within the European Parliament—with SAPEA congratulating Irakli on his astute evaluation of the EU’s Green Deal and the European Parliament UK office responding to Rowan’s assessment of the pitfalls of commercial fishing policies.
