Bedales Prep, Dunhurst marks Black History Month

13/10/2022
Academic & Curriculum, Bedales Prep

October marks Black History Month in the UK and to commemorate the event, Bedales Prep, Dunhurst held a Pupil Voice Conference to celebrate the continued achievements of black people in the UK and around the world.

The day begun in Dunhurst’s assembly space, The Well, where the school’s Equality and Diversity Council led an assembly about Black History Month. After giving an overview of the national event, which has been held annually since 1987, the council spoke about British Black Lives Matters activist Jen Reid.

Jen famously collaborated with contemporary visual artist Marc Quinn on a black resin sculpture, A Surge of Power, which was surreptitiously installed in the place of the destroyed 19th-century statue of Atlantic slave trader Edward Colston in July 2020 and removed by Bristol City Council the following day.

After the assembly, pupils attended four mini talks of their choice, each focussing on a different topic or individual. The talks, which were led by staff, included the impact of African art on Pablo Picasso and modern art; actor, TV presenter, singer, politician, businesswoman and writer Floella Benjamin; The Repair Shop’s Jay Blades; and the forgotten origins of Black Britons. After the talks, pupils reflected on the topics in their tutor groups and produced patchwork tiles about the inspiring figures they had learnt about.  

The Black History Month Pupil Voice Conference was organised by Deputy Head (Academic) Andy Wiggins and Teacher of Group 2 (Year 5) and Maths, Alice Azemi, who lead the school’s Equality and Diversity Council. The council meets every Friday and focuses on celebrating equality and diversity, holding themed events throughout the year.

Pupil Voice Conferences are held termly at Dunhurst to empower pupils to find their voice and put forward their views on a range of topical issues. Like Bedales Senior, where the School Council was one of the first in the country, Dunhurst has a long tradition of listening to pupils’ views.

Head of Dunhurst Colin Baty said: “The Pupil Voice Conferences we hold every half term are so valuable. They enable children to lead on topics that are relevant to their world, both now and historically. Thank you to the Equality and Diversity Council who on this occasion, with support from staff, led thought-provoking discussions about black history in the UK.”