Year 6 - The Windrush Generation

This term, our Year 6 pupils have been exploring the powerful and thought-provoking text The Windrush Child by Benjamin Zephaniah. The book tells the story of Leonard, a young boy who leaves his home in the Caribbean to start a new life in Britain, capturing the emotions, challenges and hopes of the Windrush generation.

Through this text, the children developed a deeper understanding of the experiences of those who arrived in Britain after the Second World War. They explored key themes such as migration, identity, belonging and resilience, while also learning about the historical significance of the Windrush generation and their lasting impact on modern Britain.

As part of the unit, pupils examined Leonard’s journey and reflected on the changes he and his family experienced. They wrote informal letters and diary entries in role, using these to express thoughts, feelings and personal responses to events. There was a strong focus on:

• Writing with an authentic voice
• Using figurative language to convey emotion
• Showing change and contrast through language choices
• Developing cohesion across paragraphs

To conclude the unit, the children celebrated the contributions of the Windrush generation. They applied their learning to write persuasive pitches, presenting ideas for a monument to honour those who travelled to Britain and helped shape the society we live in today.

The results were exceptional. Year 6 produced a range of thoughtful, empathetic and powerful pieces of writing, demonstrating both historical understanding and emotional maturity. We are incredibly proud of the respect, insight and creativity they have shown throughout this important unit of work.