Why This Story Matters: How Heartstone Helps Pupils Confront Prejudice and Find Their Voice

The Heartstone Odyssey is a national project for 9-12 year olds that uses storytelling to build empathy, critical thinking, social awareness and literacy. Through a structured story‑circle approach, pupils learn to see life from different perspectives and to understand the roots of prejudice and intolerance.

Why This Story?

At the heart of the project is a powerful narrative led by Chandra, a strong female Asian protagonist, an Indian classical dancer, who offers a highly relatable and empowering role model, especially for pupils from marginalised groups. Alongside fictional animal characters, the story creates a safe space to explore themes such as:

• prejudice and discrimination
• identity and belonging
• conflict and intolerance
• courage, hope and resilience

How Story Circles Work

The book is read in weekly one‑hour story‑circle sessions over two terms. The discussion is child‑led: teachers pause at key moments to explore vocabulary, big ideas and ethical dilemmas. This enables deep thinking and allows each class’s journey to be unique.

Linked “photo‑documentary” images help pupils make real‑world connections with issues such as:

• sexism
• prejudice
• cultural and faith differences
• conflict in communities

These images prompt rich, sometimes challenging conversations about the world pupils inhabit.

In Croydon we did three years of the project, funded by MOPAC, and some schools have continued to use the resources which are the class set of 30 books, a set of photographs and photodocumentary images and the pupil’s imaginations. It costs roughly £600 for the resources and there are training and support from the national leader and ideas from the website (https://heartstonechandra.com/ ). As RE Adviser I also supported the twelve schools that took part in the project and each year put on an exhibition of their work in the Town Hall.

Creative Responses: Beyond the Text

Teachers using The Heartstone Odyssey have incorporated:

• artwork
• drama
• graffiti‑wall reflections
• music
• poetry
• design-based responses

One special school explored themes entirely through art and design, while other schools integrated drama and collaborative storytelling.

Impact on Pupils

Across participating schools, pupils reported:

• improved confidence
• greater empathy
• a deeper understanding of where prejudice comes from
• a stronger sense of agency in challenging injustice

One school noticed that a previously fragmented Year 5 class became far more cooperative and empathetic by Year 6. A Sikh Saturday school noted with concern that all pupils had already experienced some form of hate crime; making the project’s work even more necessary and relevant. All children involved in the project showed increasing levels of “confidence” in understanding the origins of prejudice and felt more empowered to become agencies of challenge and change.

Students from Oasis Academy Coulsdon have even presented their insights in public forums such as the Fusiliers Museum at the Tower of London to launch the associated exhibition Kosovo + 25. They also spoke about the project in the House of Commons and were invite to speak to Soldiers and Ambassadors at NATO in Brussels.

Supporting Big Questions in RE

The project links naturally to many enquiry questions in RE, including:

• Where do prejudiced beliefs come from?
• What does it mean to treat each person with dignity?
• Why do conflicts sometimes emerge between different faith or cultural groups?
• How do people find courage, hope and moral direction in difficult times?

Why Teachers Value This Approach

Ultimately, The Heartstone Odyssey is far more than a book. It is a holistic programme that strengthens emotional literacy, nurtures empathy, and builds the skills young people need to understand and challenge injustice; locally and globally.

Written by: 

Penny Smith-Orr 

Penny Smith-Orr has been the SACRE Adviser in Croydon for 25 years and is also the Chair of Faiths Together in Croydon. She also currently works as the RE consultant in Kent and Lambeth and has worked with several other South London boroughs. She has written and launched 7 Agreed syllabuses for various authorities.

Lorna John

Lorna John is Head of Religious Education in Oasis Academy Coulsdon in Croydon, South London. She is also the current Vice Chair of Croydon SACRE and serves on the NASACRE Executive. Lorna has also completed the Culham St Gabriel’s Trust’s two-year Leadership Scholarship.