Lesson video

Hello, welcome to today's lesson.

My name is Mrs. Hastings and I'm going to be teaching you this citizenship lesson, which is titled: How diverse is UK society? And it comes from the unit: How is UK society diverse and changing? I'm really looking forward to teaching you this lesson, and there's going to be lots of learning to do and lots of concepts to understand.

So I hope that you enjoy it and let's get on with the learning now.

So the learning outcome for today's lesson is that you will be able to explain how the UK became diverse and assess the impact of diversity on society.

There's some important ground rules that we're going to go through first to ensure that everybody feels safe and confident to contribute in this lesson.

Firstly, as Laura says, we need to "Listen to others.

It is okay to disagree with each other, but we should listen properly before making assumptions or deciding how to respond.

When disagreeing, challenge the statement, not the person." Andeep says, "Respect privacy.

We can discuss examples but do not use names or descriptions that identify anyone, including ourselves." Izzy says, "Choose the level of participation.

Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or join discussion.

We never put anyone on the spot." And lastly, Jacob says, "No judgement.

We can explore beliefs and misunderstandings about a topic without fear of being judged." So here are the key words for today's lesson.

Diversity: when a group has people with different backgrounds and experiences; this can be differences in nationality, ethnicity, culture, religion, language, identity, interests, skills and perspectives.

Migration: the movement of people from one place to another, for example, moving from one country to another.

And immigration: the process of people moving from one country to another to live and work.

There are two parts to our lesson today in the learning cycle.

So the first learning cycle is: How did the UK become diverse? And the second one is: How does diversity shape the UK today? So let's get on with our first learning cycle: How did the UK become diverse? The UK is known for being one of the most diverse countries in Europe.

People living in the UK come from a wide range of backgrounds.

Much of this diversity is a result of migration throughout history.

So migration isn't a new thing that's happened to Britain, in the UK.

It is something that's happened over many, many centuries.

The first human settlers arrived in Britain many thousands of years ago.

Over time, many people have migrated here and helped shape the country.

The UK's population has continued to change.

This change has contributed to the UK's national story and identity.

One of the fundamental British values is respecting each person as unique and recognising individual differences.

So let's check our understanding.

Why is the UK considered one of the most diverse states in Europe today? Is it A, People in the UK all share one culture and background; B, The UK has banned migration for thousands of years; C, Historical and ongoing migration has brought a mix of cultures; or D, Everyone in the UK has always had the same identity.

The correct answer is C, Historical and ongoing migration has brought a mix of cultures.

That is why the UK is considered one of the most diverse states in Europe today.

So well done if you got that right.

What does the UK's diversity highlight about British values? A, that everyone should be the same to promote unity; B, that diversity is a recent and temporary trend; C, that we should ignore our differences to avoid conflict; or D, that it's important to recognise and respect differences.

It is D, well done if you've got that correct.

The UK's diversity highlights the British value that it's important to recognise and respect differences.

Diversity in the UK has been shaped by migration linked to major events in British history, changes in the economy, and Britain's role in the world.

Examples include the Roman invasion, the British Empire, the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the Great Famine in Ireland, the World Wars, and the European Union.

So let's go through some of these key events.

So between 43 and 410 CE, Roman invasion and occupation brought many people from many parts of the Roman Empire.

So different cultures and diversity and religion as well as the Christian religion, for example, was spread due to the Roman empire coming to Britain.

In 400 to 1000 CE, mass migration of Northern European and Scandinavian people into Britain.

So that would be people you might have remember from your history lessons learning about sort of Viking invasions and that sort of bringing sort of new ideas and new cultures there, and Anglo-Saxons.

In 1000 CE, Britain was ruled by the Saxons and Danes who had invaded and settled.

In 1066, the Normans, the French, invaded and settled.

Around this time, Jewish communities were also established in Britain, though they faced persecution during the Middle Ages.

So again, you might remember the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and the Norman Invasion and the Norman Conquest, and how that brought different language and different culture to Britain.

1555 to 1833: Enslaved African and African-Caribbean people were forcibly taken to Britain and its colonies as part of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

But it's important to note here that people of colour were not, these were not the first people of colour to arrive in Britain, as that had already happened under the Roman invasion.

From 1700 onwards, Britain's colonisation and empire-building involved control over many countries.

This led to migration from across the empire, creating diverse communities in Britain but also causing harm and injustice to many people.

In the 1840s, many Irish people migrated to Britain to escape the Great Famine.

And then from 1939 to 1945, we have World War Two.

There was a smaller amount of immigration during World War Two.

This is largely due to kind of people fleeing the conflict in Europe, refugees, but also obviously Jews prior to the war and during the war escaping persecution under Nazi rule.

From 1945, larger-scale migration from Britain's former colonies in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean occurred.

Many Caribbean migrants came to help rebuild Britain after the war, while other migrants came for reasons such as work, safety or to join family.

And these people were known as the Windrush generation.

1973 to 2020, the freedom of movement for workers was guaranteed by our membership of the European Economic Community, the EEC, and later the European Union.

That allowed people from member countries come and live and work in the UK.

So then, we have migration from people who are citizens of Europe, having that freedom of movement to live and work here.

So let's check our understanding.

What are the missing words in each of these statements? 43 to 410 CE, who invaded? This brought people from across the empire.

Number two, 1555 to 1833: Enslaved African and African-Caribbean people were trafficked as part of the what Slave Trade? Number three, 1840s: Many Irish people migrated to Britain to escape the Great what? Number four, from 1945 to 1971: Larger-scale migration from Britain's former what in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean began.

And number five, 1973 to 2020: Immigration from the what as free movement of people was established.

So let's check the answers.

So number one, it was the Romans who invaded.

Number two, it was the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Number three, Irish people migrated to escape the Great Famine.

Number four, migration from Britain's former colonies.

And number five, immigration from the EU as free movement of people was established.

So well done if you correctly identified the missing words in each of those statements.

So onto our first practise task for today's lesson.

I'd like you to describe three important migration events that helped to make the UK more diverse.

For each event, include: who migrated or the event name, when it happened, why people migrated, and how this migration increased diversity in the UK.

So pause the video whilst you complete that task.

Well done for completing that task.

So I asked you to describe three important migration events that helped make the UK more diverse.

You might have included event one: group or event: the Romans.

When it happened: 43 to 410 CE.

Why people migrated: To expand their empire and control more lands.

And how it made Britain more diverse: The Romans brought people from across their empire, introducing new cultures and peoples to Britain.

Your answer could continue, event two: Group or event: Irish immigration.

When it happened: 1840s.

Why they came: To escape the Great Famine.

And how it made Britain more diverse: Irish migrants bought their culture, language, and traditions adding to Britain's cultural diversity.

And event three: Group or event: Migration from Britain's former colonies in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.

When it happened: 1945 to 1971.

Why they came: For a variety of reasons.

For example, many Caribbean migrants came to help rebuild Britain after World War Two and fill important jobs.

Other migrants came for work, safety or to join family.

And how it made Britain more diverse: People from former colonies settled in Britain, creating a richer mix of cultures and ethnic backgrounds.

So while done for completing that task, you may have chosen other events and that's absolutely fine.

So onto the second learning cycle in today's lesson: How does diversity shape the UK today? Migration continues to shape communities in the UK through social, economic, and political changes.

Living in a diverse nation brings both benefits and challenges for people and society.

Aisha asks, "How might migration and diversity benefit the UK?" Have a discussion with your learning partner about Aisha's question.

So benefits could include, and you may have come up with these in your discussion, new skills and workers: Migrants often bring valuable skills and help fill workforce gaps in areas like the NHS and construction.

These roles are essential, though often low-paid.

Cultural richness: People from different backgrounds bring new food, music, languages and traditions, making the UK more vibrant.

A stronger economy: Migration can boost the economy by increasing the number of people who work, spend money and use services.

Learning from each other: Living in a diverse society can help people understand different cultures and ways of life, encouraging respect and tolerance.

Innovation and creativity: Different perspectives often lead to new solutions and creative ideas in areas like science, technology and the arts.

So let's check our understanding.

What are two benefits of migration and diversity to the UK? So you could have described: brings new skills and workers, cultural diversity makes life more vibrant, strengthens the economy, encourages tolerance and respect, leads to innovation and creativity.

So well done if you describe some of those points.

Aisha's asking, "What might the challenges of migration and diversity be for the UK?" Have a conversation with your learning partner about Aisha's second question.

So, challenges could include: Pressure on services: A growing population.

So migration is linked to the idea of a growing population, and this can increase demand for public services like schools, housing and healthcare.

Integration difficulties: It can be hard for people who are new to a country to feel fully part of the community, especially if there are language or cultural differences.

Discrimination: Not everyone is accepting of others; migrants and minority groups can face unfair treatment, hate or exclusion.

Concerns about jobs: Some people worry about job availability in areas with fewer opportunities, though research shows migration often fills shortages and has little effect on wages or employment.

So for example, when Britain was part of the European Union, we often had seasonal workers coming from parts of the EU to do the fruit picking and vegetable picking and help the farmers with the harvest, and that filled those shortages in that area of those jobs.

So since we've left the EU, farmers have found it increasingly difficult to find seasonal workers who will come and pick the fruit and vegetables, for example.

And misinformation and fear: Some public messages about migration, including in the media or online, can be misleading or exaggerated, which may cause misunderstanding or fear.

So often, there are sensational headlines about migration and that can create fear and misunderstanding when actually, if you look into it a bit more carefully, it's not true.

Like I said about the job shortages, the migrants are often coming here to fill areas of the economy where there are a shortage of workers to do those jobs.

So let's check our understanding of this.

What are two challenges of migration and diversity to the UK? You could have described: pressure on public services, language or cultural differences can make it hard to integrate, migrants and minority groups can face discrimination, concerns over availability of jobs, misinformation can lead to misunderstanding about immigration.

So, well done.

So let's practise what we've learned in the second learning cycle.

How have migration and diversity shaped life in the UK today? I'd like you to explain your answer by describing some benefits and challenges and how they affect people and communities.

So pause the video whilst you complete this task.

So, well done for completing that task.

I asked you to explain, how have migration and diversity shaped life in the UK today? Explain your answer by describing some benefits and challenges and how they affect people and communities.

Your answer could include: Migration and diversity have shaped life in the UK in many ways.

One benefit is that migrants bring important skills and fill jobs in areas like the NHS and construction, helping the economy and public services.

Migration has also brought new cultures, traditions and ideas, making life in the UK more interesting and diverse; for example, through food, music and festivals.

You could also have included some of the following: However, some people worry about competition for jobs, especially in places with fewer opportunities.

But research shows migration usually fills job shortages and has little effect on wages or employment levels.

Some migrants also find it hard to adjust to new cultures or languages, which can cause tensions or misunderstandings within communities.

Overall, migration and diversity have both positive effects and challenges, and understanding both helps build a more inclusive society.

So well done for completing that practise task and for completing the learning in today's lesson.

So in summary, how diverse is UK society? The UK has become to be one of the most diverse countries in Europe.

It consists of different cultures, religions, languages and ethnicities.

This is largely due to historical migration.

The people who moved here have changed over time, and they've also helped shape Britain.

Our population keeps changing, and that's always been part of our national identity.

Benefits of migration and diversity include that different cultures make life more exciting, migrants fill job gaps and bring new skills.

This can lead to innovation and creativity.

However, there are also challenges such as discrimination, fear of competition for jobs and difficulties integrating into communities.

Like I said, well done for completing today's session.

I hope that you've learned lots and I look forward to you again soon, goodbye.