Black History Month

Our whole school community has been celebrating Black History Month, with the slogan, ‘one month is not enough’.

Each morning this week, Senior School pupils have been welcomed into school to a soundtrack of music from black artists, followed by form times focused on Black History. 

Led by Upper Sixth student, Lucia, and the rest of the Diversity & Inclusion team, pupils have been learning about the inspiring stories of numerous trailblazers: Beryl Gilroy, London’s first black Headteacher; feminist Claudia Jones, who helped establish Notting Hill Carnival; British Army officer Walter Daniel John Tull, the first black footballer to be signed for Rangers FC in 1917; and chemist Alice Ball, who developed an effective treatment for leprosy during the early 20th century.

Head of Classics, Mr Thicknesse, gave a fascinating lunchtime talk on famous black Classicists, from the ancient world to the modern day; and in the Junior School, pupils enjoyed a drama workshop, exploring the importance of Mary Seacole’s work during the Crimean War.

Students on our Diversity & Inclusion team also embarked on an edifying weekend river cruise on the Thames, which took them past numerous sites relating to London’s African/Caribbean history.  After learning about thousands of years of black history in the UK, they shared key facts with pupils and teachers at a special assembly.  They explained how, despite London’s diversity, only 4% of London’s 900 Blue Plaques represent Black and Asian people, highlighting the work done by charity Nubian Jak to redress the balance; since 2006, they have unveiled 69 plaques and two statues honouring African/Caribbean people. Our Diversity & Inclusion team announced plans to hold a non-uniform day later this year to fundraise for another new plaque.