Early Level:
Principle 2

Our children will understand and enquire into Scotland’s role in historical world events, including trans-Atlantic enslavement and colonial histories, and their continuing impact today.

This principle explores the movement of people to and from Scotland and encourages children to think about the legacies of these  movements. This can be done through acknowledging our real history and the way it is interconnected with that of Black and Brown people. It examines different perspectives and celebrates the legacy of all communities living in Scotland today by learning about different festivals and celebrations. 

Unpacking the principle

Questions and considerations

Do spaces… 

  • introduce opportunities for all  children to explore their heritage  and family background? 

  • explore journeys of foods to Britain showing the interconnectedness of Scotland to different parts of the world?

Do interactions… 

  • open up thinking about why people  move to live in different places? 

  • explore different places where Scottish people have gone over time and continue to go?  

  • discuss why people come to Scotland, now and in the past?  

  • explore the idea of choice - when do  people choose to move to a new place  and when do they have no choice? 

  • discuss feelings about what it might be like to move to a new place?  

  • explore how we can make new people feel welcome?

Spaces 

Kitchen space – involving children in discussions about where different  food items come from can open conversations about the past. Where  does sugar come from? Who discovered it? How was it brought to  Scotland? Who  farmed it? What would life be like without it? What would we miss?  Introducing Fairtrade can also show the inequality which continues  today and ways we can make positive choices for change.  

Experiences 

Read the young children’s picture book Coming to England, by Floella Benjamin. Explain that the story is told by someone the same age as  the children’s grandparents or great grandparents and that they are telling the story of when they were a young child. Discuss: Why did Floella’s dad decide they should go to England? What was the journey like? Why was life in England not what Floella  and her brothers and sisters had imagined? What things happened to  them? How did things start to get better for them? What can we  learn from the story about welcoming new people?  

Suggested Activity: imagine a new child is coming to the nursery. How can we make them feel welcome? What questions could we ask? What things can we say and do? Children can use soft toys/ teddies/animals to role play how to make someone feel welcome.

Spaces and experiences

I am included

I am respected

I am achieving.

SHANARRI Indicators(s)

Article 8:
I have the right to an identity.

Article 30:
I have the right to speak my own language and follow my family’s way of life.

UNCRC Article(s)

Home/Community Links and Opportunities for Parent/Carer Participation 

  • Provide opportunities, for parents and carers to inform the setting of celebrations and festivals that are  observed and celebrated at home so that there is awareness among staff and all special events are celebrated. When families join, they can be asked, ‘Which festivals or special days do you observe? How do you celebrate these days? Would you be  willing to share your celebrations with the setting?’ 

  • Invite grandparents or older relatives and carers to share their stories. Connections across generations can help children find a sense of self and pride in their racial and cultural heritage. It is important to show that all children have their own cultural heritage. Ensuring White Scottish children explore their heritage alongside children from other cultures will prevent ‘othering’ and recognise that we all have a culture to celebrate throughout all of the year. 

This principle is about exploring events that Scotland has played a role in and considering these events from the perspective of different people involved. Children are taught a Eurocentric view of Scottish history with Black and Brown children often appearing as outsiders or left out of the narrative. Exploring this may start from legacies that continue today, such as food and drink items we regularly consume (why do we drink so much tea in Scotland today? Where do other foods and drinks come from?).

It is important to work closely with families if you  are looking at different celebrations to find out what and how they celebrate to avoid stereotyping and misrepresenting information. People may celebrate Easter, Christmas or Eid in different ways, the same is true of other celebrations. When working with families, it is important that they are not given the burden of sharing information to help support the setting to be inclusive and anti-racist, but that they are invited to contribute and take part in the life of the setting that they choose and enjoy.

Key Things to Note

Unpacking the principle

Do spaces…  

  • introduce opportunities for all  children to explore their heritage  and family background?  

  • explore journeys of foods to Britain showing the interconnectedness of Scotland to different parts of the world?   

Do interactions…  

  • open up thinking about why people  move to live in different places?  

  • explore different places where Scottish people have gone over time and continue to go?   

  • discuss why people come to Scotland, now and in the past?   

  • explore the idea of choice - when do  people choose to move to a new place  and when do they have no choice? Are all people free to move to new places?  

  • discuss feelings about what it might be like to move to a new place?   

  • explore how we can make new people feel welcome? 

This principle explores the movement of people to and from Scotland and encourages children to think about the legacies of these  movements.

This can be done through acknowledging our real history and the way it is interconnected with that of Black and Brown people.

It examines different perspectives and celebrates the legacy of all communities living in Scotland today by learning about different festivals and celebrations.

Spaces and Experiences 

SHANARRI
Indicator(s)

Questions
and Considerations

Spaces  

Kitchen space – involving children in discussions about where different food items come from can open conversations about the past. Where  does sugar come from? Who discovered it? How was it brought to  Scotland (opportunity to track the journey on a large map)? Who  farmed it? What would life be like without it? What would we miss?  Introducing Fairtrade can also show the inequality which continues  today and ways we can make positive choices for change.    

Experiences  

Read the young children’s picture book Coming to England by Floella Benjamin. Explain that the story is told by someone the same age as  the children’s grandparents or great grandparents and that they are telling the story of when they were a young child.

Discuss: Why did Floella’s dad decide they should go to England? How did they travel?  What was the journey like? Why was life in England not what Floella and her brothers and sisters had imagined? What things happened to  them? How did things start to get better for them? What can we learn from the story about welcoming new people?   

Suggested Activity: imagine a new child is coming to the nursery. How can we make them feel welcome? What questions could we ask? What things can we say and do? Children can use soft toys/ teddies/animals to role play how to make someone feel welcome, things you might say, things you might do, actions you might take or games you might play together.  

I am included.

I am respected.

I am achieving

UNCRC Articles(s)

Article 8: I have the right to an identity.  

Article 30: I have the right to experience 
my own culture  and home language. 

Home/Community Links and Opportunities for Parent/Carer Participation 

Provide opportunities, for parents and carers to inform the setting of celebrations and festivals that are  observed and celebrated at home so that there is awareness among staff and all special events are celebrated. When families join, they can be asked, ‘Which festivals or special days do you observe? How do you celebrate these days? Would you be  willing to share your celebrations with the setting?’ 

Invite grandparents or older relatives and carers to share their stories. Connections across generations can help children find a sense of self and pride in their racial and cultural heritage. It is important to show that all children have their own cultural heritage. Ensuring White Scottish children explore their heritage alongside children from other cultures will prevent ‘othering’ and recognise that we all have a culture to celebrate throughout all of the year.

Key Things to Note

This principle is about exploring events that Scotland has played a role in and considering these events from the perspective of different people involved. Children are taught a Eurocentric view of Scottish history with Black and Brown children often appearing as outsiders or left out of the narrative. Exploring this may start from legacies that continue today, such as food and drink items we regularly consume (why do we drink so much tea in Scotland today? Where do other foods and drinks come from?). It is important to work closely with families if you  are looking at different celebrations to find out what and how they celebrate to avoid stereotyping and misrepresenting information. People may celebrate Easter, Christmas or Eid in different ways, the same is true of other celebrations. When working with families, it is important that they are not given the burden of sharing information to help support the setting to be inclusive and anti-racist, but that they are invited to contribute and take part in the life of the setting that they choose and enjoy.