Praying for local schools

Published on: 24 May 2022

Bignold Primary School, in Norwich, sets the bar high when considering “Who is my neighbour?”; 48 languages are spoken, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Polish, Russian, Afghan, Mandarin, Hindi and Punjabi are all present, for example.

The children also represent very different backgrounds, from advanced previous education to none so far. Cecilia Basnett, a teacher, talks about it truly being a snapshot of the world, with children relating to different lives, cultures and beliefs. It is a richly caring school, with the question “Who’s going to be a buddy?” quickly answered by “I’ll be their friend!”

Cecilia is looking forward to a year of widening experiences, with trips outside the classroom (beach for reception!), countering the last two insular years. Mental health is still a massive concern, with child development thwarted by the pandemic. She prays for strong new relationships between parents, teachers and children, and for wisdom managing a constrained budget.


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