#SRtRCSpotlight: Kickstarting 2025 off with a visit to Forest View Primary School
Our Education team, based in the North East of England, started 2025 on a strong note with a visit to Forest View Primary School. For the past seven years, our anti-racism workshops have been instrumental in fostering understanding, empathy, and inclusivity among children aged 9 to 11.
These workshops provide a safe, non-judgmental environment where meaningful discussions empower young people to recognize and respond to all forms of discrimination.
This week’s session, “Let’s Talk About Racism,” encouraged pupils to explore their roles as global citizens and reflect on their perspectives about the world around them.
Having worked closely with Forest View Primary School, we sat down with the headteacher, Mrs Emma Cook, to hear her thoughts on the workshops and their impact:
How did the pupils respond to the workshop?
“The workshops are a regular part of our curriculum and the children always respond well during the sessions. The sessions provide a good balance of opportunities for the children to discuss issues linked to racism openly and gain factual information from the well equipped and approachable staff who lead the workshops”
Why do you think anti-racism workshops are important?
“The main function of a school should be to educate. Education spreads far wider than traditional academic subjects. It is important to educate children about life in our amazing and challenging world whilst acknowledging the reality that racism does exist. The workshops provide children with factual information and clarity and address misinformation that they can pick up from other sources. Children are given a safe forum to ask questions and develop their own understanding of racism and related issues.The workshops encourage understanding and empathy which are values we work to develop in school.”
How does discussing racism at an early age shape pupils’ perspectives and values?
“Children’s views can be shaped from an early age. By discussing the issue of racism with children at a young age we are helping them to develop their understanding of how to treat others and how words and actions can impact on others.”
How important is it for school to proactively address racism, rather than reactively?
“Prevention is better than cure. It is a well used expression but is very true. Racism exists and we would be foolish to pretend that it doesn’t so it makes sense to try to prevent it from becoming an issue rather than repair the damage it can cause.”
In what ways do you feel our workshops align with the wider goals or your school’s ethos?
“The workshops absolutely align with our core values, in particular those of honesty, tolerance and respect.”
What do you think might happen if schools don’t engage in anti-racism education?
“Talking about racism can be very emotive but it is so important that we do. Without proper education children may have their thoughts and ideas shaped by other sources such as social media. We know that our children will still encounter information through other sources but we hope that they will stop to question some of the things they see or hear and make decisions based on their learning from the sessions. To shy away from anti-racism education will lead to problems in the future for us all.”
Book a workshop with our North East team today!
