Throughout this week Assistant Headteacher Miss Silla has delivered some of the most inspiring assembies we have had at Bushey Meads School. Under the theme of Black History Month she reminded students of the origins of the month started by historian Carter G Woodson in 1926. The theme for Black History Month 2026 is Honouring Our Communities which includes a focus on celebrating the everyday individuals, grassroots networks, volunteers, and local organiaations who today sustain and strengthen Black British life and have done across history.

Miss Silla explained that Black History Month 2026 invites us to look more closely at something often taken for granted — the communities that shape, support and sustain us. She reminded us that the theme is not simply about place or postcode – it is about people and she gave some great examples of key individuals who have made this a reality in their lives.

She explained that across Britain, there are individuals whose contributions are part of everyday life, yet too often go unseen: volunteers who give their time without expectation, teachers who shape futures beyond the classroom, nurses and carers who offer dignity and compassion, community leaders who bring people together (all of them working and contributing often without recognition). Students were reminded by her that these are the people who help to hold our communities together (their work may not always be recorded, but it is felt — in relationships, in support systems, and in the spaces where people find belonging).

The assembly ended with an awesome Black History-inspired dance piece performed superbly by our Senior Dance Group who themselves contribute so much to our own community here at BMS.

It made for a truly uplifting start to each day this week.