Eastbrook School believes it is important to learn about the history of people who identify themselves as BAME and in particular this month, Black History. Students at Eastbrook School have decided this month, to also celebrate Black Excellence. Teachers at Eastbrook School have decided to adapt the curriculum to incorporate Black Excellence, they have done this by integrating minority ethnic academics, scientists, scholars and pioneers in respective subject disciplines as well as critically assessing the assumptions of Western thought and inherent bias within their subject discipline and have actively considered and incorporated historically marginalized or suppressed knowledge.
Here are some examples of how subjects have adapted their curriculum towards an equalities centric intent, beginning with Black Excellence.
Business Studies
The Business curriculum has been adapted to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people in this area. We recognise that it is essential for us to build in these opportunities, and for us to plan and deliver a curriculum that over time reflects our diversity and promotes our values.
In Year 10 we teach Segmentation and as such address different groups within society. Examples will include cosmetics and hair brands that are specifically targeted at black consumers. In addition, the work of Rhianna in developing Fenty beauty is celebrated here.
In Year 11 Branding is the focus and the work of Levi Roots is used to show how a sole trader can build a brand that generates millions of pounds in revenue.
Throughout the course students are asked to consider customers’ needs and we strive to include all customers from different backgrounds and different ages. Care is taken that images used in lessons reflect our diverse society and discussion about different cultures is championed.
Child Development
The Child Development curriculum has been adapted to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people in this area. We recognise that it is essential for us to build in these opportunities, and for us to plan and deliver a curriculum that over time reflects our diversity and promotes our values.
In Year 10 and Year 11 Students are currently reflecting on the importance of knowing their own learning styles and can identify different study skills to allow them to study effectively. We will be celebrating black influential people and the challenges they faced through their journey to success. Betty Campbell – the first Black Head teacher will be a case study we reflect on during lessons. Students will then be asked to research their own black influential people and share with the class their findings and a celebration of excellence. The focus will be as quoted from Booker T. Washington “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which [one] has overcome while trying to succeed.”
Computing
The Computing curriculum has been adapted to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people in this area. We recognise that it is essential for us to build in these opportunities, and for us to plan and deliver a curriculum that over time reflects our diversity and promotes our values.
The early focus of lessons across all year groups will be to recognise the black technology pioneers through time. These will include, “The Hidden Figures” in particular, NASA physicist, Katherine Johnson. Roy L. Clay, a Computer Scientist recruited by Hewlett Packard in 1965 who led HP’s first foray in the computer market, Clarence Ellis who was the first African-American to earn a Ph.D in Computer Science, Mark Dean, Co-Creator of the IBM personal computer in 1981, John Henry Thompson who’s work in Computer Science has benefited modern computer games, web design and animation. There will also be a focus on technology that made everyone’s lives easier. These include, Frederick McKinley who invented the refrigerated truck and Garrett Morgan who invented the three-light traffic light.
Towards the end of the month the focus will be on current influential figures in technology. Dr Dre, rapper, music producer and co-founder of Beats headphones, earphones and speakers, Charles Hudson, Partner in Softtech VC and Kimberly Bryant, founder of BlackGirlsCode.
Each lesson will be pitched at all year groups so that all students gain the same knowledge and awareness, understanding the impact that black inventors and tech entrepreneurs have made in all of our lives.
Design Technology
The Design & Technology curriculum has been adapted to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people in this area. We recognise that it is essential for us to build in these opportunities, and for us to plan and deliver a curriculum that over time reflects our diversity and promotes our values.
We are linking black designers, inventors, engineers, chefs and architects to each year group. Students encounter them at different points in the year as we teach on a carousel.
Year 7: Students will look at the work of inventor Sarah Boone and fashion designer Ozwald Boateng as they study textiles. They will also be taught about the inventor Lewis Latimer as part of an electronics project.
Year 8: As part of a mechanism project students will look at inventors Joseph Winters and John Burr
Year 9: Students will look at the work of architect David Adjaye.
Years: 10 & 11 Students will study the work of the fashion designer Joe Casely-Hayford as part of studies on textiles and fibres.
Students studying food and nutrition will study food from different cultures.
English
The English curriculum has been adapted to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black people in this area. We recognise that it is essential for us to build in these opportunities, and for us to plan and deliver a curriculum that over time reflects our diversity and promotes our values.
We read and study many fiction and non-fiction texts by Black authors, including Malorie Blackman, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, John Agard, Angie Thomas and Alex Wheatle. These texts lead to consideration of themes related to Black history and identity, as well as contemporary movements such as Black Lives Matter which is explored in our ‘Inequality and Discrimination’ unit. However, we are aware of the importance of exposing students to a range of narratives and not limiting their experience of literature to narratives centred on conflict and victimhood. We encourage students to read works by Black creatives that aren’t strictly ‘educational’ but instead celebrate Black British life or simply tell a compelling tale; we have a section in the library dedicated to Black British authors of young adult fiction where you will find texts by Patrice Lawrence, Danielle Jawando, Dean Atta, Kit de Waal, Andrea Levy and Bernadine Evaristo. We work with students in focus groups to keep this list updated and relevant, and encourage students to promote these texts by writing and publishing book reviews.
Geography
The Geography curriculum has been adapted to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people in this area. We recognise that it is essential for us to build in these opportunities, and for us to plan and deliver a curriculum that over time reflects our diversity and promotes our values.
Year 7
– Links with black Caribbean and African migration into the UK
The justification for this is that it fits in very well with the UK topic which discusses migration.
Year 8
– African economies are developing their GCP and towards global trade.
The justification for this is that it fits in very well with the Globalisation topic and international trade.
Year 9
– Wealth and development – Richest man in human history was Mansa Musa (black African Muslim)
The justification for this is that it fits in very well with the Development topic which deals with wealth and GDP.
Year 10
– Being black in the British countryside
There are emerging concepts in the mainstream media about being Black and British in the countryside.
Year 11
– Nigeria Case Study NEE – (Newly Emerging Economy)
This case study is part of the GCSE curriculum.
History
The History curriculum has been adapted to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people in this area. We recognise that it is essential for us to build in these opportunities, and for us to plan and deliver a curriculum that over time reflects our diversity and promotes our values.
Short term – We will be adding more focus on black lives and how far African migrants were already here by Tudor times. We will be adding a lesson the Atlantic slave trade unit to show a more positive and celebratory side to Africa pre the Slave trade. We already focus on many key black figures in our curriculum such as Mary Seacole, Martin Luther King & the whole US civil rights movement.
Long term we will look at adding to year 7 sow in a more meaningful way.
Mathematics
The Mathematics curriculum has been adapted to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people in this area. We recognise that it is essential for us to build in these opportunities, and for us to plan and deliver a curriculum that over time reflects our diversity and promotes our values.
Short term – We will be looking at 5 Black Mathematicians and sharing their biography and mathematical contributions to each year group respective, where we will try and link the mathematician, where possible, to the current topic relevant to their particular field of study within mathematics.
Media
The MEDIA curriculum has been adapted to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people in this area. We recognise that it is essential for us to build in these opportunities, and for us to plan and deliver a curriculum that over time reflects our diversity and promotes our values.
In Year 10 we plan to study an NHS advert entitled ‘REPRESENT’. This advert attempts to persuade people of a BAME background to donate blood as currently only 3% of that population do so. The advert is framed in the style of music video by black British artist Lady Leshurr. In her lyrics she urges black and Asian people to represent themselves in this area as well as they in parliament, elite sports, medicine and the arts. We will be analysing the advert as a media text but there are many positive images of black excellence and aspirational thinking here as well. We’ve got a few steps more to take in our learning journey but we should be ready to do this by the first week of November.
In Year 11 we’ll be studying radio this month. Part of this involves comparing the radio of Tony Blackburn in the 1960s with that of Julie Adenuga for Apple Beats Radio. Julie Adenuga is very much an influential black female with considerable influence in the music industry. Students will find out what a good example of black excellence she is when we analyse her radio show.
Modern Foreign Languages
The MFL curriculum has been adapted to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people. We recognise that it is essential for us to build on these opportunities, and for us to plan and deliver a curriculum that over time reflects our diversity and promotes our values.
KS4:
In October term we incorporate Black excellence in the topic “La personne que j’admire le plus ”. Y10 students do a presentation to the class about a person that they admire the most and talk about the great qualities and abilities their role model has and their exceptional contribution to the local or international communities.
In the Bringing the words together unit, our Y11 students explore and write an article about the importance of charity and voluntary work in our society. The aim is to explore the outstanding contribution that Marcus Rashford has made to our society and helping our youth and families who are impoverished.
KS3:
To celebrate Black achievement and excellency, our Y7 students use their knowledge of adjectives to design a portrait of a Black role model in their community, who is making or has made a difference in our society and making us Proud.
During our cultural awareness sessions in after school club in the Autumn term, students use the sessions to educate themselves about influential Black figures who had made a significant impact on language development, diversity and inclusion. In Spanish club, students conduct research on the first black person in Spanish Parliament (Rita Bosaho).
Through our cultural quizzes and competitions, we aim to also educate our students about the enormous contribution of the Francophonie’s African Black communities, not only to language development, but also the promotion of equality, diversity and solidarity in our society.
SEND
The SEND curriculum has been adapted to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people in this area. We recognise that it is essential for us to build in these opportunities, and for us to plan and deliver a curriculum that over time reflects our diversity and promotes our values.
Our Social Skills intervention incorporates Black Excellence when discussing positive role models and successes. Our Mentoring programme explores positive black role models and promotes diversity and differences with an open-minded ethos.
Science
The science curriculum has been adapted to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people in this area. We recognise that it is essential for us to build in these opportunities, and for us to plan and deliver a curriculum that over time reflects our diversity and promotes our values.
Our aim is to highlight and celebrate the work of black scientist who excelled despite their struggles due to their unique character virtues. To celebrate ‘Black Excellence’ in science, all year groups are given a case-study research task to research and submit on SMHW. The best work submitted is awarded a science prize.
Title ‘Black Excellence Scientists and Invention’.
Produce a word document on:
Two black scientists about their findings and character virtues that helped them succeed in their quest. Include the historic dates and how their research updated our knowledge.
Two black scientist inventors who invented something we are still using today -include historic dates and pictures/diagrams of their invention as well as their character virtues.
Sociology
The Sociology curriculum has been adapted to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people in this area. We recognise that it is essential for us to build in these opportunities, and for us to plan and deliver a curriculum that over time reflects our diversity and promotes our values.
We endeavour to incorporate Black Excellence through students’ research and analysis of prominent black characters’ contributions to society
Year 10 – Opportunities to include Black Excellence where students examine the Rastafarian community in Britain during 1970-1990s, comparing identities, its impact on how they were treated and their roles in pressuring parliamentarians in changing the laws. This is important as it provides contexts to the scheme of work, a key application skill, opportunities to explore concepts and theories; and supports understanding of the contribution Rastafarians have made to Race Relations in modern Britain
In year 11: Introducing students to people in academia, who have strived for Black Excellence, despite the negative labels, stereotypes and typification’s levied against them by social structures in society. In Stratification and Differentiation, students will examine competing theories, including Black feminists, on the causes of inequality around social factors, e.g. gender. In Crime & Deviance, we will examine works from prominent black sociologists e.g. Gilroy & Hall’s detailed study around issues relating to ‘myth of black criminality.’
The knowledge gained is useful in applying analysis and evaluations to achieve top essay marks. Furthermore, it decolonises the narrative that supports stereotypes around marginalised groups in society. In applied methods of sociological enquiry, learners are required to assess research process(es) and data to evaluate whether the method used, by selected researchers, best supported the context. This will assist in their assessment of the evidence used to support or refute sociological arguments.