The Mayor's Visit
In December 2024, we had the honour of hosting the Mayor. Prior to the visit, the Steering Group consulted children across the school to gather their ideas about how the local area could be improved. This was undertaken because all children have rights, such as the right to have their views respected (Article 12).

The campaign demonstrated to the Mayor how much our children care about improving our local area. Thanks to their hard work and determination, the Mayor listened to their ideas and agreed to support children's involvement in a real project aimed at bringing change to Dudley Port train station. Network Rail plans to make Dudley Port train station more welcoming and has invited us to create pieces of art that can be enlarged and displayed.

This project highlighted that our children's ideas truly matter. Through campaigning, they have become changemakers in our community. The children are not only improving the local area but also inspiring others to get involved. To support this exciting project, Steve Smallman was invited to the school.

Steve Smallman

Steve is a well known children's author and illustrator; one of his most loved books is 'POO IN THE ZOO!'

The day began with a whole-school assembly where Steve shared some of his amazing sketches, demonstrated live drawing, and brought one of his stories to life by reading it aloud. Following this, Year 6 had the privilege of participating in an exclusive workshop with Steve, honing their artistic skills and learning new techniques.
Later, children from across the school enjoyed a close-up session with him, creating stunning pieces of artwork.
Once completed, the collection was presented to Network Rail, with the best eight pieces enlarged and proudly displayed at Dudley Port Train Station.

This fantastic project reflected several rights of the child outlined in the United Nations Convention, such as:

• Article 12: The right to have their voices heard and taken seriously, which was demonstrated as their artwork was displayed in a public space for all to see.
• Article 13: The right to express themselves creatively.
• Article 29: Developing talents and abilities through education.
• Article 31: The right to engage in cultural and artistic activities.

Through this unique opportunity, the children not only developed their artistic skills but also experienced the power of having their voices and creativity valued and celebrated in their community, leaving a lasting legacy at Dudley Port Train Station.