All pupils and staff have been invited to celebrate ‘what makes them proud’ in a creative way. The work will be displayed throughout the school as a way to celebrate our community. The aim of this project is to give all members of the community a platform to reflect on their achievements and to proudly showcase this in a creative way. We hope this inclusive approach will create a sense of solidarity which is embedded in the school ethos of ‘nurturing mind, body, and spirit’. On top of this, the project will teach our pupils to be compassionate (encouraging all members of the community to be proud), determined (showing a commitment to being inclusive), open-minded (recognizing the beauty of multi-culturalism), respectful (celebrating the achievement of others), and inclusive in accepting people of different religions, denominations, race, age, abilities and sexuality.  

Staff and pupils have been working hard to put together a range of workshops/events to celebrate Black History Month. Our Sixth Form students are particularly looking forward to hosting a fashion show, aimed at celebrating traditional clothing.  This will take place during lunchtime, on the main school stage. We are encouraging pupils from all year groups to bring in traditional clothes or to take part on the runway.  

In addition to this, there will be a number of other events: 

• There will be a workshop based on Dove’s project on ‘My Hair, My Crown’. This is a fund aimed at eradicating race-based hair discrimination through grassroots organisations. This will empower the next generation of girls in the Black community, eliminating barriers to progression in society and the workplace. 
• The Music department will put together various musical performances to celebrate the contribution of Black people to the music industry.  
• Tutor groups will lead assemblies on British Black heroes. By doing this, we are further celebrating the ‘Proud to be’ theme by highlighting the successes of Black people.  
• Posters outlining the achievements British Black people will be displayed across the school 
• Sixth formers are putting together tutor time quizzes, to inform pupils about British Black history  
• There will be a screening of a film ‘Hidden Figures’ in the lecture theatre. This is a film that is about female African-American mathematicians who play a vital role in NASA during the early years of the US space program.   
• Staff will share traditional African-Caribbean recipes with all members of the community. Pupils will be encouraged to try and show of their creations.  

We hope that Black History Month will highlight the vast contributions and achievements of British Black people. We are celebrating the coming together of a diverse community through dance, food, and music. We hope to promote inclusivity, respect, and compassion for all. This will be a springboard to our school’s commitment to ending racism and promoting love and respect for everyone. In the book of Matthew (22:36-40) it is said ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself’. This encapsulates all that we do at Davenant to create a truly inclusive community.  

Further details about each event will be provided soon.