There has never been a more important time to equip young people with the courage to stand up against racism. Bigfoot’s anti racism workshops give KS1 and KS2 pupils the vocabulary, confidence and creative tools to understand race, culture and discrimination, and to become actively anti racist, both in the classroom and in life beyond it.
Writer Audre Lorde’s statement “it is not our differences that divide us; it is our inability to recognise, accept, and celebrate those differences”, underpins the workshop by giving pupils the opportunity to recognise the role they have to play in changing society through education, intention and courage.
Younger pupils begin with the concrete and the familiar, exploring what makes us the same and what makes us different, before building towards clear, plain spoken definitions of race, culture and racism, and finishing with a shared sense of what it means to be a good friend. Older pupils pick up that thread and go further, wrestling with harder ideas such as privilege, unconscious bias and the difference between simply not being racist and actively working against it. Across both key stages, pupils are guided by educators from the Global Majority, whose lived experience and warmth turn a difficult subject into one that feels honest, safe and worth talking about.
“I just wanted to pass my thanks on to Adrian for yesterday’s workshops and staff training. The children absolutely loved their sessions, and Adrian was a joy to have in school. Normally the staff are clock watching during staff meetings and yesterday I don’t think they wanted the meeting to end! I look forward to working with Bigfoot again in the future, as we have never been disappointed! – Sinead O’Brien, PSHE Lead, St Michael’s Primary
DOWNLOAD A PDF WITH A WHOLE YEARS WORTH OF PRIMARY SCHOOL FEEDBACK FOR THIS PROGRAMME
LEARNING OUTCOMES: KS1
- Recognise and define racism, racist behaviour and bullying
- Identify how racism makes people feel
- Respond appropriately to racist language and behaviour
- Understand and use at least three tools to challenge racism
- Explore diversity, race and culture through drama and discussion
LEARNING OUTCOMES: KS2
- Understand key terms including race, unconscious bias, privilege and equity
- Recognise racism and understand how it affects individuals and communities
- Identify and challenge microaggressions and unconscious bias
- Distinguish between being non racist and being actively anti racist
- Develop and apply anti racism tools through drama and debate
National Curriculum Links
- PSHE (KS1 and KS2): Recognising unfairness, understanding rights and responsibilities, developing respect for difference
- English (Speaking and Listening): Building vocabulary and expressing ideas clearly and confidently
- Drama: Improvisation, physical expression and role play to explore theme and feeling
- Citizenship: Understanding fairness, community and mutual respect
- Personal Development: Exploring identity, equality and justice through creative engagement
FORMAT
Target Audience: KS1 & KS2 (Differentiated versions)
Session Time: 60 minutes
Capacity: One class per session (Strictly up to 35 pupils)
Educators: Please note that these workshops are exclusively delivered by our specialist Arts Educators from the Global Majority.
Additional options: We also provide a 90 minute teacher twilight session, which we highly recommend, and can take place after the pupil workshops.
HOW TO ENQUIRE & BOOK
For us to quote your school and offer availability, please fill out the form below and tell us how many classes you have in each year, what year groups you want us to work with, and any specific dates that will work for you. We will respond to you within 24 hours. We promise we will not ignore your enquiry. Important: If you have not had a response from us, you may need to check your folder of doom (Spam folder) as sometimes our emails may go into it!
