In 2007 primary school children in Cheshire produced a DVD based on a play that they had written and performed to highlight issues faced by migrant families and, in particular, capture the experiences faced by children of migrant workers when they are new to an area.

The play - Journey's End? - was made by pupils at Beechwood Primary School (Crewe) as part of a project commissioned by Cheshire County Council Children's Services. One of its key aims was to help children explore reasons for movement and consider the range of emotions and feelings when families leave their established homes to begin life in a different environment.

Around 10 per cent of the school's 300 pupils currently speak English as a second language, with many of them hailing from Poland.

The DVD is now being used by teachers in schools across Crewe, to help them integrate children of migrant workers better by explaining their background to other pupils.

John Fowler, the county council's pupil mobility consultant, said:

"The ideas came from the children, and they adopted a really fresh approach to some challenging issues... The DVD pack will be handed out to all headteachers in Crewe, as a way of developing empathy for children arriving in the area."

Beechwood pupils spent five months working with performing arts specialists to write the script, rehearse and perform the play, while film students from South Cheshire College stepped in to help produce the DVD.

The play is set 400 years in the future, and follows the journey of the Armstrong family leaving planet Apollo and commencing a new life on planet Zorg.  The characters discuss their experiences and reflect on their feelings. 

Packs now being distributed feature exercises which encourage children to consider how families would feel uprooting to a new place, and the types of challenges they might face.

Headteacher Anthony Hadfield said:

"We try to integrate children as much as we can by making them part of the school community, and having a Polish teaching assistant to help with communication problems. Teachers adapt the work to them, and we teach the children about how everyone is different, whether it's their colour, language or a disability... The DVD aims to get children thinking about what they can do to help new arrivals to feel more welcome."

The learning resource pack that has been developed from this project contains a copy of the Journey's End DVD, the script - written in English with Polish translations - and evaluation information about the project.

Some key findings from the initial evaluation include the following:

• The project raises awareness and empathy towards children starting school in a new country.
• There is an increased understanding that the children in families may have no choice in their new location.
• The project promotes equality of opportunity and good relations between people of different groups.
• Feedback from children who have watched the DVD has been very positive, as illustrated by the attached summary results from Year 4 pupils.

To view a copy of the Journey's End leaflet, please select the link below: http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/EducationAndLearning/educationwelfareservice/Downloadjourneysendleaflet.htm.

For further information about the Journey's End case study, please contact:
John Fowler
Pupil Mobility and Elective Home Education Consultant
Woodford Lodge Professional Centre
Winsford
Cheshire
CW7 4EH