Honouring Our Communities: Black History Month at Mulberry Bush

This Black History Month,children and adults across Mulberry Bush have been coming together to celebrate Black history, identity, creativity and community.

This year's theme, Honouring Our Communities, encourages us to recognise the people, stories and experiences that shape who we are, while reflecting on how we can create environments where everyone feels seen, heard and valued.

Black History Month provides an important opportunity to celebrate the contributions of Black individuals and communities, deepen our understanding of different lived experiences and consider how identity and belonging influence the children and adults we support.

Across our schools, training and professional development, and therapeutic teams, this has taken many different forms.

Celebrating Black History through learning and creativity

At Mulberry Bush School Standlake, children have been exploring Black history through stories, art, poetry and classroom activities.

Within Education, children have been learning about Katherine Johnson, the pioneering mathematician whose work played a crucial role in NASA's space missions. Through her story, children have had the opportunity to explore the achievements of Black individuals who have helped shape our world.

Books and stories have also been made available in the school library, while posters celebrating this year's theme, Honouring Our Communities, have been displayed around the Standlake site.

In Class, Black History Month has been woven into circle time and 'All About Me' activities, using stories, poems and conversations to encourage children to explore identity, individuality and the importance of recognising one another's experiences.

Creativity has also played an important role in the celebrations

Activities have included exploring portraiture and the work of influential Black artists, including Alma Thomas, known for her vibrant abstract paintings, and Faith Ringgold, whose powerful story quilts combine art, history and personal storytelling.

Inspired by these artists, children have had opportunities to express themselves through colour, patterns and personal stories, exploring how art can communicate experiences and celebrate identity.

Across the school, Black History Month has also been recognised through displays and shared learning opportunities, helping to bring conversations about history, culture and community into everyday school life.

 Celebrating identity through art at Mulberry Bush Corner School

At Corner School Wembley, Black History Month is being marked through a celebration of the American artist Amy Sherald, whose distinctive portraits explore identity, representation and the experiences of Black Americans.

Each class at the Corner Schoolis named after an artist, with Sherald being the newest addition this year.

As part of the celebrations, children will research Amy Sherald and explore her artistic style before creating their own self-portraits inspired by her work. Their artwork will then be brought together in a display in the school's Calming Zone.

Through this project, children will have opportunities to explore how art can express individuality, celebrate differences and encourage a sense of pride in who we are. For children whose early experiences may have affected their sense of self, opportunities for creativity, expression and positive recognition can be particularly meaningful.

Looking beyond assumptions: Reflection in professional practice

Black History Month is also an opportunity for adults across Mulberry Bush to reflect on their own practice, perspectives and assumptions.

During a recent Planning and Reflection Day, our Training & Professional Development team explored the experiences of a child moving through three different systems: education, care and youth custody.

Initially, the child's gender and race were withheld from the discussion. These details were then introduced, encouraging colleagues to reflect on whether their perceptions, expectations or understanding of the child's experiences might change.

The activity, "One Child, Three Systems," created space for important conversations about unconscious bias, inequality and how identity can influence the way children are understood and supported.

The team has also been incorporating the voices of young people into its training, including the video "Caring Beyond the Curriculum, Yap with YAB."

By sharing this at the end of training sessions, the team aims to ensure that the young person's voice is the final perspective participants hear, reinforcing the importance of listening to those with lived experience.

These opportunities for reflection remind us that thoughtful practice requires more than knowledge. It asks us to remain curious, question our assumptions and consider how our own experiences may shape the way we understand others.

Creating space for difficult conversations

Within our Therapies & Networks team, Black History Month has prompted important reflection on the experiences of Black children, both past and present, at Mulberry Bush Schools.

Through team discussions, colleagues have explored questions of race, identity, belonging and the emotional experiences of children in their care.

One particularly powerful question emerged:

"How easy is it to empathise with a child who expresses that they hate their skin colour and wishes they were different?"

It is a difficult question, but an important one.

For children who have experienced trauma, disrupted relationships or emotional distress, feelings about identity and belonging can be complex.

As adults supporting children, we have a responsibility to remain curious about what these feelings might communicate, while recognising the wider social and cultural experiences that may influence them.

Our psychodynamic approach encourages us to look beneath what is immediately visible, consider the emotional experiences behind behaviour and reflect on our own responses.

This includes recognising that we may not always fully understand another person's lived experience, but we can listen, reflect and create space for their feelings to be acknowledged.

Honouring our communities beyond October

Black History Month is an important moment for celebration, learning and reflection, but the conversations it encourages should not end when October does.

Across Mulberry Bush, these activities have provided opportunities for children to explore their identities, discover influential Black figures, express themselves creatively and learn about the experiences of others.

For adults, they have encouraged deeper reflection on our assumptions, relationships and responsibilities within therapeutic practice.

Honouring our communities means more than celebrating our differences. It means recognising the experiences that shape us, listening to voices that may not always be heard and continuing to question how we can better understand and support one another.  

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