Wix and Wrabness Primary pupils focus on racial inequalities

The pupils at Wix and Wrabness Primary School took on the project driven by the school’s Curious Education programme which helps to build the pupil’s cultural capital.

It began with adding a multi-cultural element into its Covid-19 recovery curriculum, but quickly evolved due to the enthusiasm shown by the children.

They have now created a website which celebrates black heroes and heroines.

Kenny Brundle, who teaches years five and six at the school said: “Our deputy head teacher had a multi-cultural element of the curriculum planned based on the George Floyd case last year.

Pupils (L-R) Aiden, Kipp and Lucas painting Rosa Parks

“There had been a lot of talk that racial issues aren’t covered enough in schools and we thought our intake isn’t very diverse so we decided to look into how we can still discuss the issues.

“We went round the class and asked each child to write down famous artists, scientists, sports people etc.

“All the names they came up with were white males, there being all these people out there who we don’t really celebrate or even know about.

“So, in their English lessons the children learnt about black heroes and then, as this went so well, it evolved into a website project to present all the stories they had uncovered.

The pupils have even tried their hand at Bollywood dancing

“I thought we can’t have anyone visit the school at the moment to check out the work, so let’s put it online and get it out there for people to see.

“The stories of people really started to hit home and they would ask if they could take a copy home to show their family, they were telling me they wouldn’t believe what had happened in the past.”

The project was helped by the Junior Ambassador Project, an initiative from Tendring Council.

It has seen Bollywood dancing, an African drummer and Chinese Calligraphy all brought into the school during taster days to show the children a variety of cultures.

To view the website, go to bit.ly/3e0ZmzH.