How to Make the Most of Black History Month in Primary Schools

Black History Month is an opportunity for children to discover Black history, explore creativity and learn about the people who have helped shape our communities. This guide shares workshop inspiration, classroom activities for EYFS, KS1 and KS2, and assembly ideas to support learning in October and throughout the year.

A memorable workshop, a story that starts a conversation or a photograph that prompts a question can all give children a way into learning about Black history.

In the UK, Black History Month takes place in October. For primary schools, it offers an opportunity to explore the achievements, experiences and contributions of Black people, including the stories connected with Britain and your local community.

There are plenty of ways to build this learning into the subjects and experiences your children already enjoy. Here are some Black History Month ideas for primary schools, with suggestions you can adapt to suit your classes.

Bring children together with a Black History Month workshop

A workshop can give children a shared experience to talk about, write about and build on in the classroom.

At Primary Workshops for Schools, our African Drumming and African Dance workshops offer opportunities to explore music and movement through participation. They can sit alongside your learning about Black British history, literature and communities, adding practical arts enrichment to your Black History Month plans.

African Drumming workshops

Our African Drumming workshops for schools introduce children to West African rhythms using djembe drums. Guided by an experienced drummer, children explore call and response, listen closely and practise playing together. An optional demonstration assembly can introduce the experience, while a group performance gives children an opportunity to share the skills they have learned.

Back in the classroom, children could describe the sounds they noticed, discuss how the group kept together or revisit a rhythm through clapping.

African Dance workshops

Our African Dance workshops for schools introduce traditional dance movements through guided teaching. Children learn movements and work together on a group routine, exploring rhythm, coordination and expression. Afterwards, they could share a movement they enjoyed learning or explain how they followed the music and performed together.

We can deliver up to eight sessions per day, with up to 30 children per session, and adapt our workshops to suit your children.

Connect activities with people, places and stories

Giving an activity a clear connection to a person, place or tradition helps children understand what they are exploring.

For a music activity, this might mean learning where an instrument comes from and finding that region on a map. For a story, it might mean discovering more about the author and the experiences behind their writing.

Africa is a continent with many countries, languages and traditions. Naming the particular place or art form you are exploring gives children a more meaningful picture of its context.

Black British history also offers opportunities to explore places closer to home. A local museum, archive or library may have photographs, biographies or community stories that connect with your school’s area.

More Black History Month activity ideas for primary schools

Alongside a workshop, stories, pictures and creative activities can help children follow their curiosity and deepen their understanding.

The ideas below offer starting points for EYFS, KS1 and KS2. Some could introduce a person or topic, while others give children ways to reflect on something they have already discovered.

Black History Month activities for EYFS

Share stories with Black characters and creators

Picture books can open up conversations about families, interests, friendships and everyday experiences. Exploring books by Black authors and illustrators also gives children opportunities to discover the people who create the stories they enjoy.

Children could talk about a favourite character, retell part of a story using small-world play or draw a scene they remember.

Discover a person’s story

An age-appropriate book or photograph can introduce a real person and something they have done. A musician, artist or someone connected with your local community could provide a starting point.

Children might share what they notice, ask questions and make a drawing showing something they have learned about that person.

Black History Month activities for KS1

Explore a life through a picture book

The picture-book edition of Coming to England by Floella Benjamin, illustrated by Diane Ewen, shares Floella’s childhood journey from Trinidad to England.

Reading it together can support discussion about her experiences, family and belonging. Children could sequence selected events, describe a moment from the story or suggest questions they would like to ask Floella.

Create a portrait with a story

Learning about Mary Seacole offers connections with history and caring for others. Born in Jamaica, she cared for people during the Crimean War and wrote about her life.

After exploring a suitable biography and her portrait, children could create their own portrait of Mary with a caption explaining something they have learned. Combining the picture with a fact gives the artwork a clear connection to her life.

Black History Month activities for KS2

Explore a biography and its evidence

Walter Tull’s life connects professional football with service as a British Army officer during the First World War.

Children could use a biography, photographs and a timeline to explore his life, then create a short presentation explaining what they have discovered. A question such as “Which source helped you learn that?” encourages them to connect their conclusions with evidence.

Investigate a local Black history story

A museum collection, street name, memorial or archive photograph could lead to an enquiry about someone connected with your area.

Children might research the person, consider their contribution and create a display or information page for another class. Finding out what is known, and what they still want to ask, gives the activity a useful historical focus.

Black History Month assembly ideas

An assembly can introduce a shared topic or give children an opportunity to bring their learning together.

Possible ideas include:

• One person’s story: explore their life through pictures and a few significant events, leaving children with a question to investigate in class.
• A book and its creator: share an extract and introduce the Black author or illustrator behind it.
• A local connection: introduce a person, organisation or place that has contributed to your community.

• Children sharing their discoveries: invite classes to present artwork, reading recommendations or something they have learned during a workshop.

Keeping a clear connection between the assembly and classroom learning gives children opportunities to revisit the people and ideas afterwards.

Support thoughtful conversations

Stories can prompt questions about identity, belonging and how people have been treated.

Where a story includes racism, a clear, age-appropriate explanation helps children understand what happened and why it was unfair. Naming racism matters: it allows children to recognise the particular injustice in the person’s experience.

A varied selection of stories can also introduce creativity, achievement, family life, work and community. Exploring these different experiences helps children learn about people as individuals.

Children and families who would like to contribute a story, book recommendation or experience can add another perspective. An open invitation gives people a choice about what they share, with teaching supported by the resources you have selected.

Useful resources for teachers

These resources offer further starting points for planning:

• The Black Curriculum’s learning resources, supporting exploration of Black British history.
• The National Portrait Gallery’s Mary Seacole resource, with a portrait, background information and questions.
• The National Army Museum’s Walter Tull resource, including a video and transcript for KS2 and above.

Previewing a resource gives you a chance to choose the details and questions that best fit your children’s age and existing understanding.

Keep the learning going throughout the year

Black History Month can introduce people and stories that children return to across the school year. The Black Curriculum champions teaching Black British history all year round, and October can be a useful moment to build on that approach.

A book discovered this month could become part of your regular reading collection. A biography could connect with a later history topic, while an artist or musician could feature in your ongoing arts teaching.

You might also return to the questions children raised during an activity or workshop. Following up on something they wanted to know helps turn an enjoyable experience into further learning.

Plan a Black History Month workshop for your school

Our African Drumming and African Dance workshops are available throughout the year, supporting Black History Month, cultural weeks and arts activities.

To explore the options, visit our Black History Month workshops page or get in touch to discuss an experience for your school.

Call 01536 265432 or email info@primaryworkshopsforschools.com. We would love to help you plan an engaging experience for your children.