As part of Black History month, children across the school have been learning about Carnivals and in particular, about the history of the Notting Hill Carnival.
In the 1950’s, many people were invited to come to England from Caribbean countries such as Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados, to help boost the labour market post the end of the Second World War. These migrants were part of the Windrush generation. When they arrived in England, the welcome they received was very different to what had been promised. Families experienced a lot of hostility and were treated unfairly. Open racism led to attacks on black people in Notting Hill and ultimately race riots in 1958.
In 1959, Claudia Jones (from Trinidad) organized the first indoor ‘Caribbean Carnival’. She wanted to bring joy, music and unity after the riots. Instead of hate, she encouraged love, culture and celebration. The Notting Hill Carnival was born and is now the third largest carnival in the world! This week, our families were invited to join us while we gave the children a taste of what a carnival is like.
The children designed and made headdresses in school and at home, they made wings. The children then had fun parading in the playground and having a dance in the Muga. Thank you to parents for joining in the fun. Thanks to Sinead, our new History Lead, for organizing the event.
