With the 22nd June 2023 marking 75 years since HMT Empire Windrush arrived in Britain, organisations and communities across the country are marking this special celebration and significant piece of our history in a variety of ways. For instance, Windrush 75 network are helping to not only raise the profile of the huge contribution made by the Windrush Pioneers, but also to “deepen the public conversation about the past, present and future of modern Britain.”
There are a number of other events taking place across the country which schools can choose to get involved in. A useful curation can be found on the Black History Month Website.
One way to introduce primary pupils to the history and significance of Windrush in British culture is by sharing some of the many beautiful books on the subject. We particularly love John Agard’s Windrush Child, Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush by Patrice Lawrence, Windrush Child by Benjamin Zephaniah and The Place for Me - Stories about the Windrush Generation by Dame Floella Benjamin and other authors. At HFL Education, we have long admired the work of Dame Floella Benjamin, particularly her wonderful books ‘Coming to England’. The picture-book version is a rich, colourful and inspiring retelling of Floella’s true story and is both heart-warming and heart-breaking in places, with determination shining through. It is an ideal introduction to the Windrush generation for younger readers. The memoir for key stage two readers is now more than 20 years old and remains a favourite with us. Floella’s combination of courage and hope against the challenges she faced in moving from Trinidad to London are beautifully captured in transportive description.
Using Floella’s wonderful books as inspiration, we have produced a whole school writing unit plan - Explore and Engage: Coming to England - which has been released onto our resources website, PA+, to mark the anniversary of HMT Empire Windrush. Many schools across Hertfordshire have already used this unit planning to bring the school together as a community of readers and writers and some truly magnificent written outcomes have been produced.
In one of the planned lessons, the children were asked to create a poem of several stanzas, reflecting on all the things that a Windrush child would miss when they left Trinidad, and their first impressions of Britain.
With thanks to Little Green Junior School for sharing their pupils’ writing.
Juicy mangs
Warm rain
Hot weather
Colourful markets
Saying goodbye, feeling helpful
Vibrant flowers
Friendly faces
Tropical watermelon
Fun on the beach
Saying goodbye, feeling helpful
Squawking seaguls
Making friends
Flying fish
Floating skyscrapers
Saying goodbye, feeling helpful
Cold and lifeless
Heavy metal
Trees like Christmas cards
Nervous and anvious
Saying goodbye, feeling helpful
Angry faces
Drab colours
Rouring hiss
Quick as an arrow
Saying goodbye, feeling helpful
Lily
Glorious island in my heart,
The swaying palm trees waving goodbye in the gentle breeze,
The waves lapping in time with the wind almost making a beat for me to hear,
The boats go by breaking the pattern in the waves developing a ripple in the small tide.
Glorious island in my heart,
Look far out at your island from this great mighty ship,
Your island turns to a strip then to a dot and then to nothing but the blue sea,
As you near your destination the sea changes colour to a dark gloomy brown,
You enter the port in thought of the new island that awaits you.
Glorious island in my heart,
You disembark this mighty ship and enter Southampton harbour,
Lots of people walking around you bewildering you,
They wear grey suits much different to life in the town that you once loved and still do now,
You stop near a platform and a big monstrous train comes blundering to the platform.
This is only the beginning...
What adventures await you Windrush child?
Long endless platforms in underground chambers with storming train that never end that twist and turn like a snake,
Automatic doors that open and close,
confusing announcements that make you freeze,
Tall lifeless buildings that stand up high,
The grey stormy days that never end,
New beginnings, opportunities, a new start.
Ghaazi
Glorious island, never forgotten,
Colourful clothing blowing in the gentle wind,
Scorching hot grounds is what you lived with,
Clear waters, building up the temptation to dive in.
Glorious island, never forgotten,
Generous people waiting to meet,
Instead of sleeping, you have a midnight feast,
Delicious food ready to eat.
What adventure awaits you Windrush child?
Tall dull trees are what you shall expect,
Rain and snow is what awaits,
Racism and judgment for the colour of your skin
Dull and dark as you wait in line for your trim
It’s not as bright as you might expect.
Alex
Oh how I will miss you beautiful island.
Pristine white curtains covering the light,
reflective glass-like sea,
grated cocoa being grown in the field above.
Oh how I will miss you beautiful island.
Exotic sweet smelling flowers which cover the landscape,
years worth of hovering butterflies and exotic parrots,
Hollywood movies, that would put a smile on somebody's face.
What adventures await you Windrush child?
Buildings like hands, grasping the clouds,
rumbles of trains sending shockwaves beneath the feet.
New world, new place, new start.
Jake
Access this free whole-school plan, based on Floella Benjamin’s marvellous books ‘Coming to England’, to support your school in learning about HMT Empire Windrush.
We would love to see your pupils’ work, so if you tweet about it, do tag us @HertsEnglish.
Kathy Roe
