Chickpea Project visit brings learning to life at West Walker Primary
On Wednesday 4 February, pupils at West Walker Primary School welcomed visitors for a Chickpea Project session led by the Dialogue Society. Year 3 and Year 4 pupils took part in structured discussion, shared questions, and open conversation.
The session brought together speakers from different faith and community backgrounds. Pupils heard from a representative of the Jewish community, an Imam from Heaton Mosque, the Northumbria Police Community Engagement Team, and a representative of the Baháʼí community. Each visitor spoke about the faith or community they represented, including beliefs, culture, traditions, and their role within the wider community.
The focus was clear and purposeful. Unity in diversity. Friendship. Community. Respect.
Pupils explored how people may hold different beliefs or cultural practices while still sharing common values. They discussed how these differences shape communities and why understanding them matters. The session helped pupils see difference as something to understand and respect.
After the main session, pupils had time to speak directly with the visitors. They asked thoughtful questions and listened carefully to the responses. These conversations allowed pupils to deepen their understanding and practise respectful dialogue in a safe and supportive space.
This visit builds on a previous Chickpea Project session delivered at West Walker in March 2025. Returning to the programme allows learning to deepen over time. Key messages are revisited, reinforced, and understood with greater confidence as pupils mature.
Why this matters across NEAT
Experiences like this sit at the heart of NEAT’s Personal Development curriculum. They are planned, purposeful, and connected to real life.
Through opportunities such as the Chickpea Project, pupils develop skills that matter beyond school. They learn to listen to others. They learn to respect difference. They learn to express ideas clearly and thoughtfully. They begin to understand how communities work and how people live alongside one another.
British values are explored through dialogue, not theory. Respect, tolerance, and individual liberty are seen in practice through conversation and shared understanding.
This is how inclusion is built across our schools. This is how community links are strengthened. This is how pupils begin to understand the wider world and their place within it.
At NEAT, these experiences are not one-off events. They form part of a joined-up approach to personal development that supports belonging, confidence, and positive futures for our learners.
Find out more
Visit the Dialogue Society website to learn more about the Chickpea Project and their work in schools.
Follow West Walker Primary School on social media to see learning in action.