Julian's Primary School News
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
October 16, 2020 JULIAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL NEWS From their research the children will create motifs that represent that individual and decorate the spine of a book named after their significant individual. A selection of these book spines will be joined together to make a ‘bookshelf’ display in the style of Yinka Shonibare CBE, who is a British-Nigerian artist currently on display in the Tate Modern. Issue no.6 POSITIVE COVID TEST As many of you will know we have had a confirmed case in Year 3 on our West Norwood site this week. We have a robust risk assessment in place and were able to put our plans into action quickly following advice from the DFE. We have also informed PHE of the situation and the action that was taken. In the event of a confirmed case we are required to send the children in the bubble home to self- Through the charity, The Children's Bookshow, we are isolate from the first day of the onset of receiving 30 copies of 'Undefeated' by Kwame symptoms. Alexander with accompanying wall charts of black history and teaching sequence for upper KS2. Household members are not required to self- isolate unless their child develops symptoms. We are also capitalising on the history focus in our next units of learning to identify and teach significant black individuals: We realise that this is very challenging for parents/carers and thank all of those concerned Y6: Walter Tull - the first black British footballer for your understanding. (Tottenham Hotspur) and first British Army officer of African descent Black History Month Y5: John Blanke - royal trumpeter and musician in Tudor times October is Black History Month. Julian's has always celebrated the contributions and significance of black history and this year is no different. Every class will take a contemporary black significant individual and research their contribution to Britain. 1 October 16, 2020 JULIAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL NEWS Y4: Septimius Severus - an African Roman emperor Y1: Beatrice Wright - an African American female entrepreneur and educator who realised the need for natural-looking dolls for children of colour. (Y3) Outside of Black History Month, as a school, we are addressing diversity in a variety of ways. Initially we are strengthening our wider curriculum; ensuring the children are represented through diverse literature and taught a diverse range of significant individuals who have made considerable contributions to our lives. Following on from that will be the creation of a Diversity Steering Group which aims to provide a platform for discussion of all aspects of diversity and equality and their relevance and impact on our school. (Y6B) 2 October 16, 2020 JULIAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL NEWS She was awarded an OBE for “services to community relations” in 2003 and created a Life Peer in 2013. In January 2016, Doreen was appointed Chancellor of De Montfort University, Leicester. She has announced the launch of The Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation for Black History Month 2020. Doreen’s ambition is to grow Stephen’s legacy internationally and ensure that more and more young people around the world are living their best life. Here is her article below: When Black History Month was first celebrated in the UK, my son, Stephen, was 13 and dreaming of becoming an architect. Five-and-a-half years later he was dead, murdered in a racist attack just as his life as 6SB an adult was beginning. What do you remember about being 18? What a great time it is. But Stephen never got We would love to have some stories and information to experience that, nor to fulfil his potential. from our children’s families so if you would like to contribute to the children’s learning about diversity Instead, when Stephen’s life ended, my fight began. I during Black History Month or over the course of the had one simple goal: justice for Stephen. But it was year, then please contact your class teacher directly. 1993 and it turned out that attaining justice for the murder of an innocent Black man was difficult. Far On a personal note……………. harder than I had imagined, for reasons that shouldn’t exist and which required time, persistence and insistence to be acknowledged. I was not able to fully accomplish justice for Stephen, but I am proud that in overcoming the barriers I faced. Britain is becoming a fairer society than it was – although as recent events show, including treatment of the Windrush generation, we still have a very long way to go. Twenty-seven years on and not all young people have heard the name Stephen Lawrence or know his story. But 2020 has shown us that Stephen’s story – unequal treatment because of skin colour, and exposure of embedded prejudice in systems, structures and institutions – is as relevant today across the whole “We want to inspire children to dream freely without world as it has ever been. George Floyd’s murder barriers” opened many people’s eyes to the extent to which racial inequality remains prevalent. And research on I was very fortunate to hear Baroness Doreen Lawrence pandemic mortality rates has created further speak last year at a conference. Doreen rejects the awareness of how pernicious racial inequality is, and notion of any halo above her head and says “we can all the wide but still little-understood consequences of it. respect each other’s space whilst still finding the time COVID-19 mortality disproportionately affects the Black to say hello.” She is a truly inspirational woman. population, with Black males having the highest COVID- 19 death rates of all. Doreen Delceita Lawrence was born on 24 October 1952 and her full title is Baroness Lawrence of I nonetheless have great hope for the future. The Clarendon, OBE. Now, this Baroness is a British tragedy of George’s death was met with an Jamaican campaigner and, perhaps, best known as the unprecedented and passionate response from people mother of Stephen Lawrence, a black British teenager around the world for an end to racial inequality. It was who was murdered in a racist attack in South East acknowledged that this was ‘a moment’, one of those London in 1993. Doreen, as she is known to family and truly rare opportunities for a step change. Five months friends, promoted reforms of the police service and on, there is now widespread acceptance that we must founded the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust. 3 October 16, 2020 JULIAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL NEWS all do better and, critically, this desire is accompanied the home for everything that happens for Stephen’s by energy and purpose to make it happen. For those of legacy. us who have been on this path for decades. This is an We are formally launching the Foundation on October extraordinary, unexpected, and meaningful place to 22, exactly 6 months before Stephen Lawrence Day have reached – and on which we must capitalise. We itself. The Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation will be must redouble our efforts, think bigger, create more the only Charity with Stephen’s name, with all opportunities for more people. activities, programmes and fund-raising supporting his legacy. The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust was the This is the purpose of my new charity, The Stephen original charity I set up in Stephen’s name. However, I Lawrence Day Foundation, which launches this month. have not been working with them for several years. As, You may remember Theresa May’s announcement in I am no longer associated with them they are shortly 2018 that the 22nd April every year will be Stephen changing their name to reflect this. Lawrence Day. Marking this day every year – the day that Stephen died – will help keep the focus on racial I have been lucky to have so much support from so inequality and celebrate efforts to remove it. The Day many people across the country and beyond over the will also be a celebration of everything that Stephen last nearly thirty years. As I embark on this new was and could have become, and it will celebrate what chapter, I hope many of you reading this, during this is being achieved in his name. momentous and memorable Black History Month, will continue to support me through the work of the The Foundation will be the only home of Stephen’s Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation. legacy. We’ve structured our efforts around a virtuous circle of ‘3 Cs’ – Classrooms, Community and Careers. Baroness Doreen Lawrence of Clarendon OBE We want to inspire children to dream freely without 2/10/2020 barriers and to realise the absolute importance of education; we want to support and create new connections within all types of communities; and we want to work with big business to put Black men from low-income families on a path towards the Boardrooms of the UK’s most prestigious organisations. The ‘Careers’ element directly responds to Stephen’s ambitions for a professional career, but which he never got to realise. Instead, we will make that a reality for many thousands of others by creating our own multi- sector scholarship in Stephen’s name, in partnership with some very impressive founding names that will only grow and grow. We believe this is globally unique. Our 3 Cs model will benefit all of society. This will be done by; raising aspirations, working within communities in new ways, creating real pathways to An interview by Rob Neil with Doreen Lawrence who success. We will also develop the creativity, leadership was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s 2018 New Year’s skills and profitability of many organisations by Honours List for ‘Services to Race Equality across the exposing them to increased cognitive diversity.