The Year 6 children have been learning all about the origins of music that have been written and performed by black artists, from blues, gospel, jazz, ragtime, big band, rock and spirituals to the next instalment of contemporary styles including hip hop, rap and R&B.

We set them an independent task of researching a black artist of their choice and I was hugely impressed with how they presented their work and how much they remembered about their chosen artist, and in particular, the difficult lives these artists had in spite of their fame. They selected artists like Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Nina Simone, Ray Charles and Prince.

We look forward to seeing more, not only in celebration of Black History Month, but as incredible artists in their own right. Well done Year 6!