January 22nd 2022
The skills that boys will require to flourish and live fulfilled, successful lives in the 21st Century have changed dramatically over the past generation, and it is so important that schools adapt and respond to prepare the next generation. Encouraging boys to take ownership of their own learning is a central part of the Moulsford curriculum, and leads to self-development in many different ways, as this image demonstrates.
Critical thinking is so important, and in my assembly to the Year 3 to 8 boys on Tuesday, I aimed to develop this skill and also ensure that they were aware of an important news event, which was part of the Black Lives Matter movement. The assembly focussed on the controversy surrounding the legacy of Bristol born Edward Colston, the 17th and 18th Century merchant, MP, philanthropist, and most notoriously slave trader. I presented the facts, as we know them, about Colston, and invited the boys to form their own opinions on the following questions:
- Should Colston have had a statue and streets named after him?
- Should we cast judgement on Colston and other historical figures, 300 years on?
- Were the protesters justified in pulling down the statue of Colston and depositing it in Bristol Harbour?
Colston might be an interesting topic of conversation for parents to pursue at home, and discussion can take place on many different levels, and lead down numerous avenues. In my assembly this coming week, I will follow up on this by focussing on the recent court case at which four protestors were acquitted of criminal damage in relation to the Colston statue. This verdict raises all kinds of questions relating to freedom of expression, the rule of law, jury trials and the democratic process. These are thorny issues, but it is so good for the boys to engage with them, and also excellent ground on which to develop their critical thinking skills.
It has been super to welcome Mrs. McMann (Head of the Pre-Prep) back to Moulsford following her maternity leave. Please click here for her weekly vlog, which gives a roundup of the week’s events in the Pre-Prep. This vlog can also be found on our YouTube channel via the social media section below and on our website, and will be updated weekly.
