April Assemblies

Facing History Approach to Assemblies 

Assemblies are a critical part of the school day. Regular assemblies provide an opportunity to bring your students together in order to introduce important issues and share your school’s values and priorities. Utilised correctly, assemblies have the potential to build an inclusive and supportive school community.   

At Facing History, our assemblies have been designed to introduce students to significant annual and/or historical events, whilst supporting them to become empathetic and critical thinkers. Each assembly also provides students with opportunities to share their thoughts with each other, helping them to develop oracy and listening skills. The assemblies last for approximately 20 minutes, but can be adapted to suit your specific timing requirements. 

Facing History assemblies do not require specialist knowledge and are suitable for use in a KS3 or KS4 assembly or in tutor time/PSHE. Some assemblies have been adapted from existing Facing History lessons and resources available on our website, while others have been newly created. 

Assemblies in April

There are two assemblies available for use in April.

Earth Day

What is Earth Day and why does it matter? Earth Day is an opportunity to renew our commitment to the planet. The theme for this year’s Earth Day is ‘Invest in the Planet’ and this assembly is an opportunity to ask young people what actions they can take to invest in the planet. This assembly focuses on the rise of fast fashion and looks at the impact of fast fashion on both societal attitudes and the planet. It also asks young people to consider how they can invest in the planet by buying less fast fashion. 

Stephen Lawrence Day

What is Stephen Lawrence Day and why does it matter? This year marks the 30th anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence, a teenager murdered in an unprovoked racist attack. Stephen Lawrence Day is an opportunity for us to consider how we can challenge racism within our communities. This assembly helps young people consider how we define racism and provides information about Stephen Lawrence, his death and the legacy he has left behind.  

Notes for Use

While you may need to modify these to meet the needs of your students, please note that Facing History and Ourselves does not endorse any changes that alter the presentation's content or original layout.