Friday 17th October
Celebrating Black Achievement All Year Round
While October marks Black History Month in the UK, at Saint Christina’s we believe that celebrating Black achievement and contribution should be a year-round commitment. Throughout the year, we honour and learn about the inspiring work of Black activists, politicians, nurses, artists, athletes, writers, and many others who have helped shape our world.
During a Vote for Schools session Years 1-6 considered the role that clothing and fashion plays in exploring Black History and how it contributes to the UK’s vibrant cultural fabric.
As part of Year 3’s History topic on the Romans, they found out about the life of Severus Septimius, a black Roman emperor from North Africa, who came to Britain in AD 197 and died in York.
In Nursery the children celebrated Black History Month by reading Mixed by Arree Chung, a story about three colours, Red, Blue and Yellow, who at first live separately but soon discovered that life is brighter and happier when they all come together. They talked about how our classroom is just like the story, full of different people who make it a wonderful place when they mix, share and play together. The children have been exploring what makes each of them unique by looking at their eyes, hair and skin colour, height and other special features, and have also been creating self-portraits to celebrate themselves and the wonderful mix of cultures in their classroom.
In Reception, the children also learned about Jean-Michel Basquiat, a famous Black artist known for his bold use of colour and symbols. Inspired by his work, they created their own vibrant pastel artwork at the easel. They also read The All-Together Quilt and explored how quilts can tell stories and bring people together. After learning about Faith Ringgold and Harriet Powers, the children designed their own hexagon pieces to represent something special about themselves. These will be combined into a class quilt to celebrate creativity, collaboration, and community.
This year, we are very excited to welcome Nicola Bellinfantie, a London-based artist, founder, and upcycled art workshop facilitator. In November, Nicola will visit Saint Christina’s to work with our children. She will share her creative process, introduce us to the inspiring art of Faith Ringgold and Alma Thomas, and lead a hands-on workshop using recycled materials. Through her visit, we will explore important themes such as diversity, equality, fairness, and the power of creativity to express identity and community.
