Our Story

The Norfolk Schools of Sanctuary team is a small group of educators and volunteers who are committed to building a culture of welcome for refugees and asylum seekers in Norfolk schools and beyond.

We are proud to be part of the City of Sanctuary movement which holds the vision that the UK will be a welcoming place of safety for all and a place that is proud to offer sanctuary to people fleeing violence and persecution.

The Schools of Sanctuary initiative celebrates the good practice of schools who welcome asylum seeking and refugee families into their school community and foster a culture of welcome and inclusion for all.  Today there are more than 300  Schools of Sanctuary in Wales and Ireland as well as many English cities and towns. 

Fourteen schools in Norfolk have already achieved School of Sanctuary status and we have more than 60 schools actively involved in the local network. 

Schools of Sanctuary in Norfolk

Meet the Team

  • Jake Rose-Brown

    FOUNDER & CO-DIRECTOR
    OF A DAY OF WELCOME

    Jake is a teacher and Diversity, Inclusion and Equality Lead at Avenue Junior School, Norwich. He established and leads Norfolk Schools of Sanctuary. Jake’s areas of professional interest and expertise include anti-racism, migration histories and refugee education.

  • Jeannette Baxter

    FOUNDER & CO-DIRECTOR
    OF A DAY OF WELCOME

    Dr Jeannette Baxter is Associate Professor in modern and contemporary English literature at Anglia Ruskin University (Cambridge) and Director of New Routes, Old Roots, a research hub for students, artists, schools, museums and community groups to explore issues of migration and social marginalisation through the arts.

  • Lesley Ford

    RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT LEAD

    Lesley is a teacher at Arbury Primary School in Cambridge, specialising in music and drama. She has worked for many years as co-director of Keystage Arts and Heritage, a company that develops and delivers heritage projects - many of which have featured stories of refugees and rescue. She is also Artistic Director of Corkscrew Theatre.

  • Zana Yassin

    DIGITAL LEAD

    Zana is a Marketing & Communications specialist with 12 years’ experience in the education sector. She joined the network in 2016 whilst helping her school to become a School of Sanctuary. Her multi-cultural upbringing inspires her to help schools to create welcoming communities for those seeking sanctuary.

  • Jasmine Kay

    Jasmine Kay

    REFUGEE EDUCATION LEAD

    Jasmine has previously taught in refugee camps across Europe and has worked extensively with refugee communities in Suffolk. She founded the first School of Sanctuary in Stowmarket and hopes to expand the network throughout the county under her new role as the School of Sanctuary Leader for Suffolk.