It was Carnival time when students at a WNAT school came together to celebrate Black History Month.

The lunchtime event at Springwood High School included music and Jamaican food, as well as scavenger hunts with clues to identify key people who have contributed to Black British history.

Students also designed their own Carnival costumes, and composed slogans to help counter racism.

“The Diversity Council helped to create, organise, and run the event,” said Alice Betts, who is the school’s Diversity Lead.

“There are about 15 students from across all year groups on the Council. The event was open to all students from across the school.”

Introduced in the United States of America more than 50 years ago, Black History Month was first observed in the UK in 1987, and the occasion has been regularly marked by Springwood.

“We’ve always recognised Black History Month through Personal, Social, Health, and Economic Education (PSHE) activities, but this was our first lunchtime event,” continued Miss Betts. “It was a great success, and I can’t wait to build on it for next year.”

“Events like these are crucial,” she added. “We live in a multicultural society, and students need to be exposed to the involvement of all backgrounds to the development of Britain.

“It helps our school create a more inclusive environment and combat misconceptions around racism and inequality.”