Black History Month 2023

This week, we celebrated Black History Month across St Paul’s, and what a week it has been! Black History Month is an opportunity to reflect on the contributions and experiences of Black people within our societies and across history. Whilst Black History Month is often (and rightly) used as an opportunity to reflect critically on our personal and institutional efforts to advance race equality, Black History Month is first and foremost a celebration – this week, we have done just that.

The school has played host to a range of exciting events this week, including a presentation from ex-England rugby player, Maggie Alphonsi, who talked to our Fourth Form about her career and the importance of resilience and goal setting; a performance from Soul Sanctuary Gospel choir, who sang a set of spirituals for the Junior school, and a range of thought-provoking pupil-led talks on everything from literature, to sport, to politics.

It has been incredibly powerful to see diversity celebrated so enthusiastically across the school. Inclusion has always been important to our community, and the level of engagement from all staff and students this week is just another reminder of the importance of celebrating diversity so that everyone, wherever they come from and whoever they are, has a place where they belong.