A WIRRAL school has marked Black History Month by supporting its students to reflect on the contribution that Black culture has made to modern life.

Wirral Hospitals’ School pupils have spent October learning about a wide spectrum of black culture in many areas of their curriculum, including food, music, dance, language, geographical location and the civil rights movement.

The project was organised with the support of Wirral Council’s Minority Ethnic Achievement Service, who provide advice and resources and facilitate multicultural storytelling, craft workshops and curriculum support for primary, secondary and special schools.

Key individuals were studied to illustrate particular facets of black culture, including world leaders like Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama and Mahatma Gandhi, sporting legends including Viv Anderson, Mo Farah and Pele and civil rights activists Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks.

Students prepared posters featuring quotes and photography, cooked a variety of foods from Africa and the Caribbean and analysed the impact of African American and Black English musicians from the 1930’s to the present.

Students also looked at the work of the psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark, who carried out experiments that studied children’s attitude to race in 1940’s America.

Helen O’Loughlin, personal social health economic education co-ordinator at Wirral Hospitals’ School said: “Our students have been learning to recognise the contribution that peoples of African, Caribbean and Asian descent have made through history, looking at key individuals and relating their lives to the modern world.

“They have really enjoyed creating their own work that showcases what they have learned. It is our hope that, through work like this, we can develop understanding and cultural awareness in our young people.”

Cllr Tony Smith, cabinet member for children and family services said: “Wirral schools undertake a lot of work to help children to develop an understanding of the different cultures that have helped to influence our way of life. This can only lead to the development of stronger communities in future.”