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 September
There are four assemblies available for use in September.
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.
International Day of Democracy
International Day of Democracy takes place on 15th September and is an opportunity for young people to think about the role of a democracy. In this assembly, students will be asked to consider what the features of a healthy democracy are and why they are important. They will then learn some statistics about the global decline in democracy before watching a video about pro-democracy activist Nathan Law, who had to flee Hong Kong once people began to lose their democratic rights. Finally, they will reflect on what they can do to participate in and protect the UK’s democracy.
Please note, there is a choice of two videos. Please review to decide which one is more appropriate for your students.
World Car Free Day
World Car Free Day, which takes place annually on 22nd September, is about encouraging people in towns and cities to go car-free for a day, and to help people reflect on more sustainable modes of transport. In this assembly, students reflect on societal attitudes to car transport, on the impact cars and their infrastructure have on people and the environment, and on more sustainable modes of transport. They also consider what they can do to participate in World Car Free Day.
European Day of Languages
European Day of Languages takes place on 26th September. It is an opportunity for us to celebrate languages and to encourage young people to learn a new language. The theme this year is ‘Languages open hearts and minds!’. During this assembly, students will have the opportunity to reflect on this theme, and discuss a poem and an extract from a blog post. They will also have the opportunity to discuss and reflect upon the benefits of learning a language with a partner or in small groups.
You may also choose to use one of the following assemblies from August.
International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples takes place annually on 9th August. It is an opportunity to raise awareness about, and protect the rights of, Indigenous Peoples around the world. In this assembly, students reflect on the meaning of indigenous, before watching a video about how Indigenous Peoples support the world’s ecosystems. Students are asked to reflect on the challenges that Indigenous Peoples face and to consider what they can do to stand up for Indigenous Peoples’ rights.
World Humanitarian Day
World Humanitarian Day takes place on 19th 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 2025 is #Strengthening global solidarity and empowering local communities. It highlights the importance of working with communities as partners, decision-makers and agents of their futures.
In this assembly, students reflect on the meaning of humanitarian and the importance of recognising humanitarian workers. Students then learn about why community-based humanitarian initiatives are important by watching a video about South Sudan. 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.
