Year 10 Black and British Trip – Plymouth Hoe

Last week, Year 10 took part in a local history walk around Plymouth Hoe as part of our English curriculum. The trip explored how local sites connect to national stories of empire, slavery, and resistance.

We started at Justice Square, renamed to reflect changing views on historical figures, then moved to the Mayflower Steps and the promenade. At the statue of Sir Francis Drake, students discussed his links to slavery. We then visited the Peace Gardens, where the Brookes Ship Monument highlights the brutal conditions on slave ships that spurred abolitionist movements.

Students connected these sites to our class text, Black and British, reflecting on the importance of understanding history fully. The trip showed the complexity of British history, mixing pride with legacies of injustice, and reinforced why Black British history is central to our curriculum.