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 S1-4 , KS3 and 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 August
There are three assemblies available for use in August.
Change Starts With Me
The start of a new academic year is the perfect time to encourage your students to set goals for the year ahead and to consider how they can achieve their goals. This assembly encourages students to set both academic and personal goals. Additionally, they are asked to think about how they can be a vehicle for change. This assembly encourages young people to envision the change they would like to see reflected in their communities and beyond, and to think about how #ChangeStartsWithMe.
South Asian Heritage Month
South Asian Heritage Month takes place from 18 July to 17 August and is an opportunity for us to learn about and celebrate South Asian histories, cultures and communities. The theme for this year’s South Asian History Month is ‘Free to be me’. After reading a poem by South Asian poet, Sujata Bhatt, your students will have the opportunity to think about why it is important to be able to connect with all parts of themselves.
World Humanitarian Day
World Humanitarian Day takes place on 19 August, and is an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the aid workers who devote (and sometimes endanger) their lives to help others. The theme for 2024 is #ActForHumanity, which draws attention to the rise in attacks on aid workers and civilians, and calls for International Humanitarian Law to be followed.
In this assembly, students reflect on the meaning of humanitarian and the importance of recognising humanitarian workers. Students then learn about international humanitarian law and consider why its principles should be upheld. Finally, students reflect on how they can behave in humanitarian ways in their own lives.
Notes for Use
Download the student-facing slides here. 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.
