News, Events & Meetings
African Achievement
Caribbean
Network New
Data on the Achievement of Black Pupils in Herts schools (2003-2007) New
The graphs give details of the achievement of four of the Black groups of pupils (Black Caribbean and Black African, Mixed White and Black Caribbean, Mixed White and Black African) at Key Stages 1,2,3 and 4 set against the achievement of all pupils in Herts. More...
Top Tips to Improve African Caribbean Achievement in Schools in Hertfordshire New
6 posters are now available to download from the African Caribbean Achievement site. More...
The History of the Presence of Black People in Britain Exhibition Resource
One school which has successfully used the Exhibition Boards is Brooms Barn Primary School. Read More....
Hidden Histories: 2007 Bicentenary of the Act to Abolish the Slave Trade
Hertfordshire’s ‘Hidden Histories’ is a partnership project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and led by Hertfordshire Archives, investigating the links between Hertfordshire people, the slave trade and abolition.
 Many African Caribbean people came to Hertfordshire before 1807, and have stories to tell. Hertfordshire people took part in the first mass human rights campaign, and were involved in the fight for freedom in Britain, the West Indies and America. Museums, archives, libraries, and community organisations in Hertfordshire will be working together during 2007 to find out more from primary sources, and give a voice to those whose stories have not been heard:
- Creative workshops with Theatre Is… & writer Catherine Johnson Using historical documents, the stories of Hertfordshire people involved in the slave trade and its abolition are being brought to life through a programme of creative workshops and performances in schools, libraries and community groups across the county, including dance, spoken word and creative writing.
- Volunteer archive research Local volunteers are searching Hertfordshire Parish Registers for evidence of people of African and Caribbean descent living in the county since the 1500’s, producing an online searchable databaseand adding to the growing number of local histories of black people and their families.
- Talks, events and archive visits raising awareness of Hertfordshire’s historical links with the slave trade and the abolition movement with community groups, local history groups, BME groups, charitable organisations and local festivals across the county.
- Film-making training with young people and production of a DVD telling the ‘Hidden Histories’ and forming the basis of a Touring Exhibition in county-wide venues, such as libraries, museums and community centres.
- A booklist relating to the slave trade and its abolition, to be distributed in libraries and venues throughout the county.
- ENJOY! Hertfordshire Heritage trail booklet highlighting sites in the built environment of Hertfordshire linked to the slave trade and its abolition.
- Restoration of the Thomas Clarkson monument Working closely alongside the Heritage Lottery funded project to restore the Thomas Clarkson monument at Wadesmill, Hertfordshire.
Bringing together Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies, Libraries, Museums, Arts, Tourism, Historic Environment, Theatre Is… (Beacon Theatre group for the East Region) and MECSS (Multi Ethnic Curriculum Support Services).
For news of events see:
For more information about the project or to receive the regular newsletter contact Jenn Banks, Project Co-ordinator at jenn.banks@hertscc.gov.uk
Hidden Histories Free Performance Workshops
Sat, 29 September 2007 @ Watford Central Library, Hempstead Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 3EU
Sat, 20 October 2007 @ Welwyn Garden City Library, Campus West, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6AJ
Work with professional performance artists from THEATRE IS… to explore the stories being uncovered from the archives linking Hertfordshire with the slave trade and its abolition. Bring the stories to life using spoken word, poetry, dialogue, movement and dance. No previous experience necessary just enthusiasm!! Aimed towards adults only.
1.15-3.30pm
Free but MUST book in advance
Contact: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies
Daytime tel: 01438737333
email: hertsdirect@hertscc.gov.uk quoting ‘HALS course bookings’
Understanding Slavery
 The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and Understanding Slavery have announced the launch of a new Citizen Resource and ‘The Big Conversation 2007’, a national competition, debate and showcase to encourage Key Stage 3 (KS3) students to explore the legacies of the transatlantic slave trade.
The Citizen Resource, a printed pack for teachers and corresponding website for students, will be framed by a set of research questions linked to the National Curriculum, particularly History and Citizenship.
The project seeks to encourage teachers, educators and students to examine the transatlantic slave trade and its legacies. Schools are encouraged to enter their resulting research into a national competition – ‘The Big Conversation 2007’.
The winning schools will be invited to showcase their research projects and discuss the issues highlighted in their study by participating in ‘The Big Conversation 2007’ debate which will be held on the 6 December 2007 at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.
Teachers and secondary schools across England can register their interest now by emailing: enquiries@thebigconversation2007.com
Launch of Watford Junction Website
'Connecting Up a Diverse Town'
 Thursday
October 12th 2006 saw the launch of an exciting new website which will provide
all residents of Watford and the local area with information about Watford's
diversity - past and present, and with the opportunity to particpate themselves.
Watford Junction celebrates the diverse local communities in Watford,
bringing together history, information and stories in one place for
the first time.
This is an evolving resource and the organisers at Watford Museum hope
that as many people as possible will get involved.
The website is part of the Diverse Herts Project funded by the Heritage
Lottery Fund.
Autobiography of a brave young soldier of Caribbean origin published
Johnson Beharry received the Victoria Cross
in March 2005. His autobiography has now been published.
‘Barefoot
Soldier – a story of extreme valour’by
Johnson Beharry VC and Nick Cook
Born in 1979 in Grenada as one of eight children, Johnson Beharry lived
with his family in a small two-bedroom house. He walked three miles to
school every day. At 13 Johnson left school and worked as a decorator
and labourer. In 1999 he scraped together the airfare for England and
joined the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. He served six months in
Kosovo, three months in Northern Ireland and then went to Iraq.
On 1 May 2004, Beharry helped assist a foot patrol caught in a series
of ambushes. His vehicle was hit by multiple rocket propelled grenades
but he drove through the ambush and extracted his wounded colleagues from
the vehicle, all the time exposed to further enemy fire. He was cited
on this occasion for 'valour of the highest order'. While back on duty
on 11 June 2004, a rocket propelled grenade hit Beharry's vehicle incapacitating
his commander and injuring several of the crew. Despite his very serious
head injuries, Beharry took control of his vehicle and drove it out of
the ambush area before losing consciousness. He required brain surgery
for his head injuries, and he was still recovering when he was awarded
the Victoria Cross (VC) in March 2005.
For more information and to see photos of Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry
go to:
Bushey Meads School Community
Studio
‘Awards For All’ funding gives a
green light to go ahead for the development of a School Community
Studio.
We are delighted to announce that our
school has been successful in securing funding to develop an existing
room into a Community Studio.
There is also additional funding for the setting up of a school gospel
choir, a community arts programme, traveller community liaison, the development
and expansion of our school steel pan band and workshops to be held during
Black History Month and Holocaust Memorial Week in January 2007.
The Community Studio will be of additional benefit for facilitating
any special projects or events subject departments would like to host
and for external groups to make use of.
Anyone who would like further information or details about the studio
should contact Mrs Brady, Ethnic Minority Achievement Officer.
Email: Debbie.brady@busheymeads.org.uk
From: Bushey Meads School Weekly Newsletter 19th Sept 2006
Study Skills Seminars for Students in Years 10 and 11
 Saturday morning seminars were successfully organised
for groups of students in Years 10 and 11 in Herts schools in March and
April 2006. They aimed to support the students to prepare for their exams
by dealing with such topics as Positive Thinking, Memory and Revision
Techniques, Time and Stress Management. The tutor was Jackson
Ogunyemi, of Fix Up Seminars
Jackson has a real ability to engage and motivate young people.
 Evaluations completed by the students, who decided
to give up their Saturday mornings to attend the seminars included such
comments as:
”I learnt how discipline and managing my time
is so important”
“Amazing presentation! Very entertaining and funny. Extremely
helpful.”
“It helped me think of new ways to stay focused and help
my education.”
“Relevant and covered everything that was worrying me,
even the things I hadn’t thought of.”
“Very helpful, it inspired me to do more and how to deal
with stress.”
There was no charge for attending as this activity was funded by Herts
County Council from its Study Support and Out of School Hours Learning
Provision budget. Premises were also provided free of charge at The Priory
(Hitchin) and St Michael’s Catholic High ( Watford) Schools.
The sponsors were the Minority Ethnic Curriculum Support Service (African
Caribbean Achievement Team ACAT) and the Watford and Stevenage African
Caribbean Supplementary Schools.
The seminars were organised in response to information from the Supplementary
Schools and from ACAT Learning Mentors who find that the young people
they mentor are in need of extra support and motivational sessions in
the run up to their GCSE exams. The evaluation indicated that the seminars
effectively complemented revision sessions organised in the participants’ schools.
Teacher Inspires Band of Steel
World’s only blind pannist rewards his star pupils...
Musicians from Bushey Meads School have been presented with special
awards for their outstanding achievement and exemplary work in the community.
 Members of the school’s senior pan band have received the newly
instated Michel Toussaint Award for Steel Pan Skills and Service to the
Community.
The students have learned to play the steel pans from scratch and during
the past two years have conducted workshops for other students and have
gone out into the community to perform and share their skills.
Their achievements are all the more remarkable because their teacher,
Michael Toussaint, is blind. He is the only blind tenor pannist in the
world.
When he was fully sighted he was a professional player, then following
eye surgery in Trinidad, he gradually lost his eyesight.
With friends’ encouragement he learned how to play again, using
his memory of a clock face to do so.
Mr Toussaint tutors every Tuesday and Wednesday at the school and will
be playing with the band this Wednesday evening in the school’s
Christmas concert.
A constant inspiration to his pupils, 1970’s star Billy Ocean
is among his personal friends and along with his workshops, he gives a
fascinating account of the history of steel panning.
The students, who were presented with their awards by Mr Toussaint and
headteacher Dr Dena Coleman, were Jaina Patel, Moji Oshisanya, Lindsay
Millar, Juliet Luff, Steven Haley, Hannah O’Leary, isa Daborn,
Sarah Nepomuceno and Alice Gumbs.
Mr Toussaint wanted to officially recognise the band’s work and
the school agreed.
Bushey Meads School is so impressed with the work of the steel pan band
that Dr Coleman has even learned how to play and colleagues say she has
a ‘natural talent’.
Because of her training, she said she knows just how hard the students
have to work to become as proficient as they are.
Following the school’s recent Awards for All Lottery funding,
it is able to develop and expand the band to include a junior section.
Mr oussaint explained: “These new steel pan students will have
something to work towards and aspire to”.
Watford Observer Friday 9 December, 2005
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