Welcome to the Multilingual Parent Group (MPG)
At James Gillespie’s Primary School, the Multilingual Parent Group (MPG) is dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment that celebrates our community’s rich linguistic and cultural diversity. With families speaking over 30 different languages, we strive to support and connect multilingual and local families, enhancing cultural understanding and appreciation.
Our Aims
- Celebrate Diversity: Promote awareness and appreciation of the diverse languages and cultures within our school community.
- Build Community: Provide informal opportunities for parents and pupils to connect, share experiences, and build friendships.
- Enrich Education: Offer pupils opportunities to explore and learn about various languages and cultures through engaging events.
Events and Activities
World Book Day
In 2023, children celebrated World Book Day by reading parts of their favourite books in their native languages. This engaging activity culminated in a video showcasing 27 pupils across 17 languages.
Travelling Around the World
In February 2024, this interactive event with volunteer parents enabled all pupils to explore at least three of the different countries and languages on offer: Arabic, Bengali, Czech, Greek, Italian, Polish and Spanish. Equipped with homemade passports, pupils visited various “countries,” learning greetings, alphabets, how to say their name in other languages and cultural insights. Some children particularly enjoyed having their name written in Arabic script and were delighted to take the beautiful script home with them.
Summer Picnic
An annual event where families bring special dishes from their home countries to share. This event fosters community bonds and offers a taste of global cultures in a relaxed, friendly setting. Please come and join us for the 2025 picnic, date to be confirmed.
Join Us
The MPG is open to all parents and guardians. We hold regular meet-ups in local cafes or parks, providing a warm, friendly space to share experiences as well as a WhatsApp group for an easy way to keep in touch. Our initiative thrives on participation and the shared goal of celebrating cultural diversity.