2016 Assembly Key stage 1 Assembly (key stage 1) – Send My Friends to School 2016 Welcome! This year, Send My Friend to School is about children who are missing school who had to leave their homes and schools. Wars, earthquakes and other emergencies have put their right to education at great risk. (World at War, UNHCR Global Trends report, 2015) Photo: Kate Holt/ActionAid UK

2016 – Time for a journey Meet Mohammed. He is 12-years-old. When his home in Syria was destroyed in a war, Mohammed and his family had to move to a refugee camp in Lebanon. He lives here with his mum and six sisters. Mohammed said that since he stopped going to school in 2011 he doesn’t feel as safe as he used to. He wants children in the UK to speak out for him. So this year we are going on a journey with children like Mohammed who have had to leave their homes and schools. Photo: Lisa Rutherford/Oxfam

2016 – Time for a journey What do you carry with you on your journey to and from school? Mohammed left his home and school in such a hurry he no longer has a school bag. Yet, he told us that he carries hope with him wherever he goes. Hope to one day return home. Mohammed is one of the world’s 124 million children (aged 3 to 18 ) who are out of school. 37 million of these children do not go to school due to emergencies. Photo: Lisa Rutherford/Oxfam

Meet Manju. She is thirteen-years-old and she lives in Nepal. 2016 – Time for a journey Many children are forced to leave their homes because of disasters like earthquakes. Meet Manju. She is thirteen-years-old and she lives in Nepal. Manju’s life changed in 2015 when two massive earthquakes destroyed her village. She lost her home and her school in the earthquakes. Photo: Gurufoto/PLAN

Create paper rucksacks! This year Send My Friend to School would like you to create paper rucksacks. These rucksacks show the journeys that tens of millions of children are making, leaving their homes and schools behind. Although these children only take a few things with them on their journey, we’d like you to imagine that they can take with them all the things they need. Imagine that these things could be packed in a rucksack and kept safe for them until they are able to start school again – their friends, books, playground games or even a favourite teacher. You can use the templates and instructions in the Teachers’ Guide to make your rucksacks. For inspiration check out our rucksack image gallery at: www.sendmyfriend.org/action-ideas Photo: Send My Friend to School 2016

Create paper rucksacks! Write on your school bag the things that are most important at school that you would pack for your friend. You might find it helpful to start thinking about what you would miss the most if you had to leave your school. For example: people who are important to you (friends or favourite teachers) your favourite subjects things that mean a lot to you, e.g. pencils, a favourite book, a football. Next write your message to world leaders. What do they need to know? What will you ask them to do? Photo: Send My Friend to School 2016

Isatu misses her friends Isatu’s story Let’s hear from Isatu about what she misses since she had to leave school. Eight-year-old Isatu lives in Sierra Leone in West Africa. Isatu’s life was devastated when an outbreak of the Ebola virus killed thousands of people across the country, including her mother and father. Isatu now lives with her sister and grandmother and wants to go back to school, but she has no uniform. She misses playing with her friends. Photo: Kate Holt/ActionAid UK

Jednel misses his school Jednel’s story Jednel and his family lost their home when Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines. His school was also destroyed by a six metre high storm surge that followed the typhoon. Jednel said, “I miss school; it was like a family.” “I was happy when the school opened again in January. We still have our classes in a tent, but it doesn´t matter.” Photo: Pieter ten Hoopen

Friday 24th June! Join our national day of action on Friday 1st July! Spread the word and get more people to speak up for children affected by emergencies who are missing out on school. Here are some ideas: invite your MP back to school on our day of action to hear about the campaign hold a special event to get the whole school involved download graphics and resources to create posters and presentations try our activities with ideas for publicising the campaign. Find everything you need here: www.sendmyfriend.org/speak-up Photo: Send My Friend to School 2016

It’s time to send your messages on a journey. Join our national day of action on Friday 1st July! It’s time to send your messages on a journey. The first stop is your local MP who will send your messages to Prime Minister David Cameron. This photo shows Kevin Brennan, MP for Cardiff West with students from Ysgol Gyfun Plasmawr in Cardiff. Here’s what they are planning to do: send the paper rucksack messages with a letter to your MP (their address is on the covering letter in the Teachers’ Pack). ask the MP to take action on this issue and ask them to feed back to school about what they have done. For great ideas for your letter and tips for what your MP can do go to: www.sendmyfriend.org/make-it-count Photo: Send My Friend to School 2016

Add your school here: www.sendmyfriend.org/totaliser Tell us what you did! Record how many people took part on our online totaliser, where you will receive a certificate to thank you for taking part. Tell us about your activities and add images and we’ll upload them to the online gallery. Add your school here: www.sendmyfriend.org/totaliser Photo: Send My Friend to School 2016

Together we can make a difference! Join Mohammed, Manju, Isatu, and Jednel and speak out for the 37 million children missing out on school due to emergencies. Photo: Send My Friend to School 2016