October Assemblies (UK)
Facing History Approach to Assemblies
Assemblies are a critical part of the school day. Regular assemblies provide an opportunity to bring your students together in order to introduce important issues and share your school’s values and priorities. Utilised correctly, assemblies have the potential to build an inclusive and supportive school community.
At Facing History, our assemblies have been designed to introduce students to significant annual and/or historical events, whilst supporting them to become empathetic and critical thinkers. Each assembly also provides students with opportunities to share their thoughts with each other, helping them to develop oracy and listening skills. The assemblies last for approximately 20 minutes, but can be adapted to suit your specific timing requirements.
Facing History assemblies do not require specialist knowledge and are suitable for use in a S1-4, or KS3-KS4 assembly or in tutor time/PSHE. Some assemblies have been adapted from existing Facing History lessons and resources available on our website, while others have been newly created.
Assemblies in October
There are four assemblies available for use in October.
National Poetry Day
National Poetry Day takes place on 5th October and it is an opportunity for young people to celebrate poetry, words and voices. The theme for this year’s National Poetry Day is refuge. This assembly encourages young people to consider what this word means and gives them the opportunity to read a poem on the theme of refuge by the Scottish poet Pippa Little. Additionally, this assembly provides students with the challenge of writing their own poem on the theme of refuge, allowing them to both express their creativity and deepen their individual understanding of the theme.
Black History Month
In the UK, Black History Month takes place throughout the month of October and it is an opportunity for schools to celebrate and centre Black history. The theme for this year’s Black History Month is ‘Celebrating our Sisters’, a wonderful opportunity to commemorate Black British women and their achievements. In this assembly, students will be asked to consider why Black History Month is needed and will also learn about the achievements of Nicola Adams, a Black British woman who broke barriers by becoming the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal for boxing.
World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day takes place on 10th October and is an opportunity for us to centre conversations around mental health and wellbeing. These conversations are essential as mental health conditions are on the rise. This assembly encourages young people to consider the state of their own mental health and what steps they can take to improve it. They will also have the opportunity to watch a video that explores the impact that poor mental health can have and how people can look after their mental health.
Anti-Slavery Day
Anti-Slavery Day takes place annually on 18th October and it is an opportunity to raise awareness of human trafficking and modern slavery. During this assembly, students will have an opportunity to consider if slavery is still an issue that should concern us today and will reflect on some statistics around modern slavery. They will also have an opportunity to watch a video on modern slavery in which victims of modern slavery share their experiences.
Notes for Use
Download the student-facing slides here. While you may need to modify these to meet the needs of your students, please note that Facing History and Ourselves does not endorse any changes that alter the presentation's content or original layout.
