October marks Black History Month in the UK.

The event began in the USA in the 1920s, and it was first celebrated in the UK in 1987. 

It gives everyone the opportunity to share, celebrate and understand the impact of black heritage and culture.

People from African and Caribbean backgrounds have been a fundamental part of British history for centuries. However, their contribution to society has often been overlooked or distorted.

What is the theme for this year?

This year, the theme of Black History Month in the UK is reclaiming narratives. The theme of reclaiming narratives focuses on sharing stories of Black history and culture, as well as correcting historical inaccuracies. This includes less well-known and untold stories, as well as stories about famous historical figures. Listening to these stories, and learning about historical figures and their achievements, can inspire the younger generation to dream big.

In school, we celebrate these significant figures in history. 

Nursery

Nursery learnt all about Mae Jemison during Space Week. She was the first black woman in space, flying aboard the Endeavour in 1992. Today, she continues to work as a scientist. 

Year One

Year One learnt about Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock as part of Space Week when we delved into the topic of 'Earth from Space.' She has campaigned to encourage the study of STEM subjects and she is an award-winning author, presenter, and space scientist. After viewing the television show "Star Trek" as a child, she became interested in space and astronomy and was motivated to pursue space studies. Her accomplishments include co-hosting the BBC's well-known astronomy program, The Sky at Night, and developing scientific tools including portable land mine detectors and spaceship visual systems. We looked at satellites and how these help us predict the weather on Earth. Year One learnt that if you 'reach for the stars' you can achieve your goals if you are passionate about something.

"Diversity is not just about ethnicity, but also about diversity of thought and experience, we generate more innovative solutions when a diverse group of people collaborate."

Year Four

Year Four have been celebrating Black History Month in a number of ways, including through class and whole school worship. So far this month, they have learnt about how publishers, Penguin Random House UK are aiming to make works by writers of colour, more visible and accessible in schools. We learnt about how Rosa Parks challenged racial segregation on buses in Alabama -  pioneering a significant civil rights movement.

Year Four also learnt about how Nzambi Matee, a Kenyan material engineer and inventor, who used her knowledge of materials to recycle plastic into building bricks, and help her community at the same time!

Year Five

To celebrate Black History Month, Year Five pupils have been learning about the life of Katherine Johnson. The children have been inspired by how she overcame barriers and paved the way for others. Harriet said, 'Katherine Johnson is inspirational because she was the first Black woman to do calculations for space missions.' Dolly added, 'She's an inspiration because she didn't give up when things were hard.' The children enjoyed listening to the book 'Counting on Katherine' to learn more about her life.

Year Six

As part of our Reading Adventures learning this half, we have been reading Journey to Jo'burg by Beverley Naidoo who grew up under apartheid in South Africa. Journey to Jo’burg is a book that tells the story of two South African children, Naledi and Tiro, who embark alone on a long journey to find their mother, who works far from home. The story is set in South Africa during the apartheid, a racially unjust system of laws. As part of this learning, we looked at the inspirational figure in Black History - Nelson Mandela. He spent twenty-seven years in prison fighting against the government in the anti-apartheid movement. He was also the first black South African President from 1994-1999. Year Six loved listening to the UK's number one single in 1984 'Free Nelson Mandela'.