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 KS3-4 / S1-4 assembly or in tutor time/PSHE/Health and Wellbeing/Learning for Life and Work. Some assemblies have been adapted from existing Facing History lessons and resources available on our website, while others have been newly created.
Assemblies in May
There are 3 assemblies available for use in May.
World Press Freedom Day
World Press Freedom Day occurs yearly on May 3rd. The theme for 2025 is ‘Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media’. This assembly encourages young people to consider why a free press matters and to reflect on how artificial intelligence is impacting journalism and the news people consume. Students will also be given the opportunity to learn about misinformation, disinformation, mal-information and deep fakes and reflect on their possible societal impacts, before learning tips they can use to avoid falling for false information.
International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
What is International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia and why does it matter? This assembly is an opportunity to spotlight the violence and discrimination faced by the LGBTQ+ community and to draw attention to the impact of hate crime. During this assembly, students will be given the opportunity to watch a video in which transgender people talk about transphobia before considering how people may feel if they are targeted or treated differently due to one aspect of their identity.
Mental Health Awareness Week
What is Mental Health Awareness Week and why does it matter? The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is ‘Community’. This assembly encourages young people to consider the importance of community and how being in positive community groups can assist their mental health. Students then get the opportunity to reflect on the human need to belong and the power of belonging, as well as what it looks and feels like in practice. Students then consider how to create a school that supports community and a sense of belonging.
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.
