Calderdale Young Voices Speak

By Sarah Hetherington

Published 23rd Jun 2025, 10:46 BST

Updated 27th Jun 2025, 12:24 BST

“Let’s not build walls between us – let’s choose kindness over hate, teamwork over fighting, and friendship over fear, “ Parkinson Lane Primary School. Representatives from 6 Calderdale primary schools came together to share their Schools Linking experiences, reflect on what they have learnt and consider the importance of the opportunities to meet and connect with others.

Halifax Town Hall made for an impressive and appropriate venue for the children to gather and share their voices: a place which has been hosting discussions for over 160 years!

First, children connected with some friends they had made over the linking year and also practised getting to know new children from different schools. A range of games provided the perfect opportunity to find out some of the things they had in common.

Then we asked the children for their open and honest feedback on the linking activities they had taken part in so that we can make sure the Schools Linking programme is as good as it can be!

Pupils also shared their feedback on activities by using a green and amber system – green if they really enjoyed the activity, amber if there was something ‘tricky’ about it. Adults then followed up by hearing their reasons for their choice of colour.

Then the children had the excitement of moving into the Chamber where they were joined by some special guests from Calderdale Council and the Mayor, Councillor Steve Leigh, MBE.

Here, the children delivered their speeches to those gathered, reflecting on the experience of schools linking.

In amongst, there were some opportunities for testing the children’s teamwork. They successfully completed not one but two Mexican waves! And also recited the Together poem by Matt Goodfellow from the anthology ‘The Same Inside’ which has become a regular feature of the linking year as it sums up the themes of linking beautifully.

Together we join to celebrate

Together we clap and cheer

Together we watch improvements

And face the things we fear.

Together we’ll finish the journey

Wherever it started from

Together we are tomorrow

Together we are one.

One child from Castle Hill reflected on the impact of the programme: “It has been brilliant to have the opportunity to get to know new people and to make new friends. I feel that my confidence has improved so much which will help me considerably when I go on to Secondary School.”

We are currently recruiting schools for next year’s Schools Linking programme in Calderdale. If you would like your school to get involved, please contact [email protected]