Friday 20th October 2017

Dear Parents/ Carers,

As you may be aware, this month is ‘Black History Month’ - a month that celebrates black history and culture, exploring music, literature along with role models within today’s society as well as learning about slavery and the civil rights movement and how society has changed. We have been focusing on what equality means to the pupils and how all the children’s differences should be celebrated.

Throughout this month we have been celebrating ‘Black History Month’ in a number of ways: we have had the pleasure of having the Caboodle Company coming in and doing two outstanding performances in our assemblies. They also led workshops, which gave children a fantastic opportunity to learn about dance and drama. The children learnt about Traditional African dancing and renacted scenes in the drama workshops highlighting the plight and struggle of slaves.

Across the school, Black History Month has been incorporated throughout the curriculum and in class assemblies and discussions. Children have learnt about role models during Guided Reading sessions to help with their comprehension skills. Year 6 children, have researched Afro-Carribean scientists and the impact they had on our lives today. Year 1 children have been learning about key figures within black history and today’s society and they drew pictures of someone they had learnt about and wrote a few sentences describing them.

Philosophy for Children sessions have also explored issues surrounding segregation and racism in the past as part of this children across all year groups have watched a video of Martin Luther King’s famous ‘I have a dream’ speech. The children then went on to discuss within their class their dreams and we wrote these on clouds which are displayed in the corridor and read out in assembly.

We have all thoroughly enjoyed working on these activities throughout the month.

Yours sincerely

Miss Burnett Mr Murray

Acting Executive Head and CEO - Mr Lee Mason Ellis Head of School – Mrs Louise Knox

Deputy Head Teachers – Miss Helen Chisholm

The Pioneer Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our pupils and

expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.