Black History Month & Anti Prejudice

Over the past few years at St Stephen’s, we have been continually developing our curriculum in order to support our children to become Global Citizens. In particular, we recognise that we want our children to understand their place in the world, to celebrate and embrace diversity and to understand that they can make a difference.

We believe our children have the potential to change the world and be future leaders for positive change – in their family, community, country or the world. We encourage our children to be ‘upstanders’ and stand up for what is right and what they believe in too.

You will find links to your child’s Long Term Overview whole-year plan, including Global Citizenship links, below.

We are very proud of the curriculum we are developing, including the many aspects of Black History. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that Black History, along with many other aspects of cultural and world history, is woven throughout, and embedded into, our whole-school curriculum and not just in October. It has been designed as a progressive curriculum through which we build up children’s values and  attitudes, skills and knowledge and understanding of important issues from year to year.

During this year’ Black History Month, we will be continuing to learn about and celebrate many black pioneers who, within their field, are leaders and forces for positive change. Again, this year, we have made links to each year group’s Autumn Term ‘Big Question’.

This year, in addition to Black History Month, we will address racism. Our aim is that children have an understanding of what racism is, its impact and how we as a community and individuals can become actively anti-racist.

Throughout the month, we would like our children to build confidence to challenge and report any discriminatory behaviour and work towards justice and equality. During October, we will send home links to resources for parents so you too can have conversations with your children about racism. This generation of children has the potential to be the next leaders who stand up against prejudice and discrimination.

Reception: How do I feel, who am I and where do I fit in? 

(Reception Long Term Overview)
Alongside learning about themselves and celebrating their similarities
and differences, the children will also enjoy studying ‘The Mega Magic
Hair Swap’ by Rochelle Humes, singer and television presenter.  

Year 1: How can we celebrate our differences in our community?

(Year 1 Long Term Overview)
Children will continue to develop an understanding of their own differences and how to celebrate these. The children will understand that difference is good, these should be celebrated and everyone is an individual with talents. This leads on from their learning about treating everyone equally. Children will get to know about a black, talented hero in our community, Mo Farah, through a fantastic book called ‘Ready, Steady Mo’’.

Year 2: What makes me unique?

(Year 2 Long Term Overview)
In this unit, Year 2 considers what contributes to self-identity and belonging as we delve deeper into understanding and identifying what makes each of us unique. During Black History Month, Year 2  will study the lives of 3 people who inspire and remind us to celebrate what makes each of us unique and special - Mikala DePrince, Carlos Acosta and Wilma Rudolph.

Year 3: How can we make our settlements more sustainable?

(Year 3 Long Term Overview)
Our current focus in Year 3, is understanding human settlements - both past and present. We celebrate an influential female black Nigerian architect, with expertise in sustainable development, Mariam Kamara. Her practice looks at developing innovative solutions to using local, renewable, and low-cost materials, while exploring new adaptations of local architectural techniques.

Year 4: How can we save our rivers and oceans?

(Year 4 Long Term Overview)
This half term, Year 4 have read the book ‘One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia’. This is a story of five women who creatively dealt with their village’s plastic rubbish problem - eventually realising economic empowerment through their recycled plastic purse project. Within their curriculum, children gain an understanding of Rwanda, South Africa and Eritrea for being some of the first countries to ban single use plastics between 2004 - 2008. During Black History Month, Year 4 will study the efforts of Isatou Ceesay as a force for change in environmental causes.

Year 4 will be doing a fundraising event to raise money for ‘Kids Conservation Programme’ in Zambia. For every £250 raised, twenty school children in Zambia will attend an education workshop at Lusaka National Park where they will learn about conservation. Alongside this, the children in Year 4 will receive a full day's worth of learning activities (allowing us to run our own conservation day in parallel) and a fifteen minute video call with our parallel class in Africa. Inspired by One Plastic Bag, Year 4 are currently exploring ways to recycle plastic materials as a potential fundraising activity.

Year 5: How do we make sure that we make everyone feel like they belong?

(Year 5 Long Term Overview)
To consider our big question in Year 5 during Black History Month, we will look at the life and works of two influential black women ; Black British author Malorie Blackman and author and actress Floella Benjamin. Malorie writes books in which readers meet characters from all kinds of backgrounds and many of her books feature a central character of colour. We will also look at the inspiring true story of Baroness Floella Benjamin’s arrival in London from Trinidad as part of the Windrush generation, ‘Coming to England’.

Year 6: Is there enough food to feed the world? (Year 6 Long Term Overview)

In Year 6, the children have been immersing themselves in William Kamkwamba’s journey: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. He took his desire to better the lives of those around him and his love of science and proved that one individual really can change their community. In William’s case, his change provided hope and the opportunity of food to the people of Malawi who were starving and had no crops to farm. 

During Black History Month, we will be looking more into William’s life and how he has ensured there continues to be enough food to feed his community as well as looking at the efforts of Marcus Rashford in ensuring that people in today’s society have enough food to eat.

"Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and
the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."
Harriet Tubman