City Partnership with Salisbury Cathedral supporting local school children launched

Salisbury Cathedral is celebrating the launch of a new community partnership, working with Wyvern St Edmunds School and Young Swindon and Wiltshire, to help support vulnerable children in Salisbury.

The initiative comes in response to recent figures suggesting that one in five pupils is persistently absent from school, with the Southwest recording the highest rates of persistent and severe absence in England. The partnership aims to support those children most at risk of absenteeism and exclusion.

In August, Salisbury Cathedral, Wyvern St Edmunds School and Young Swindon and Wiltshire formally signed a partnership agreement, marking their shared commitment to supporting vulnerable children and young people across Salisbury. The agreement establishes a long-term collaboration between the three organisations and paves the way for meaningful, high-quality opportunities for those most in need of support.

Salisbury Cathedral is leading this new partnership as part of its ongoing mission to build partnerships, widen participation, and act for justice. The programme will focus on building relationships with young people and their families, offering practical support during both term time and school holidays, and helping them to grow, flourish, and meet the challenges of the modern world.

The Very Revd. Nicholas Papadopulos, Dean of Salisbury, said, “Welcoming and caring for school-age children visiting the Cathedral has long been one of our priorities. Now, this project will pioneer something new. Instead of young people coming to the Cathedral, the Cathedral will come to them, taking our ethos of inclusion and hospitality into school. Working with trusted partners in the education and youthwork sectors, we will meet and work with the most vulnerable children in our community”

Louise Dancy, Salisbury Cathedral’s Director of Community Engagement, said, “Everyone has the right to shape their own future, and this project will enable young people in our community not to be limited by the barriers they may face. This partnership brings together the unique knowledge and expertise of three organisations for the benefit of the young people in our community needing support.”

The Cathedral will work alongside Wyvern St Edmunds, the largest secondary school in South Wiltshire. Serving a rich and diverse urban and rural community, the school is driven by its mission to enable every student and member of staff to be the best they can be.

Bruce Burley, Headteacher at Wyvern St Edmunds, said, “We’re incredibly excited about the launch of this project – it has the potential to change lives. The new model of partnership will help young people to break out of negative cycles and discover what they are capable of.”

Local youth charity Young Swindon and Wiltshire join this partnership, having over 25 years of experience supporting local young people within their communities. They help provide safe spaces, one-to-one support, group work and practical guidance to help young people build confidence, resilience and life skills.

Andy Malcom, CEO of Young Swindon and Wiltshire, said, “We’re absolutely convinced that effective collaboration is the key to unlocking the barriers that often prevent young people flourishing and so we're delighted to be part of this partnership that can really make a difference to young people in Salisbury.”

The programme will begin this new academic year, delivering sessions which will support young people’s confidence, skills, knowledge and emotional development.