Lesson video

Hello, my name's Miss Willow, and I'm going to be your teacher for today's lesson.

Today's lesson is called "The arrival of the Windrush generation," and it fits into the unit Communities: How can we show respect to people of different races and cultures? During this lesson, we are going to be talking about some sensitive content and discrimination.

So for this lesson, we recommend that you have an adult with you.

If at any point you do feel worried or uncomfortable, it's really important that you stop the video and that you speak to a trusted adult.

Okay, let's make a start on today's lesson.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to explain who the Windrush generation were, and you'll be able to describe their contributions and the challenges that they faced in Britain.

Before we get started with today's lesson, we need to go over some ground rules.

These help to make sure that everyone feels safe and comfortable during today's lesson.

First of all, Laura reminds us that we need to listen to others, so this means that if someone else is speaking, we are not going to interrupt them.

Next, we have Andeep.

Andeep says that we need to respect each other's privacy, and this means that we're not going to ask anyone any personal questions as this can make some people feel uncomfortable.

Next, Jacob says, "No judgment." This means that if someone chooses to share a story, feeling, or an experience, we are not going to judge them for it.

And finally, Izzy says that we can choose our level of participation.

This means that it's up to us how much you want to join in.

We're now going to take a look at the keywords for today's lesson.

These are going to come up quite a few times in today's lesson, so it's important that we feel confident in knowing what each of these words mean.

First of all, we have Windrush generation.

This is the people who migrated to the UK from the Caribbean between 1948 and 1971.

Next, we have migrants.

These are people who move from one country to live in another.

Next, we have legacy.

A legacy is what people leave behind that shapes the future.

And finally, we have scandal.

A scandal is wrong or dishonest behavior by important people that upsets the public.

As we go through today's lesson, keep an eye out for these keywords, and when you spot them, see if you can remember what they mean.

Today's lesson is split into three learning cycles.

Our first learning cycle is called "Who were the Windrush Generation?" Our second learning cycle is called "What challenges did the Windrush generation face?" And our third learning cycle is called "How has the Windrush generation shaped Britain?" We're going to make a start now on our first learning cycle, who were the Windrush generation? After World War II ended in 1945, the government needed some help to rebuild Britain.

They passed a law called the British Nationality Act in 1948 to give people from British colonies the right to move to Britain.

When we refer to colonies, these are parts of the world that have been rule by the British Empire, so this is places such as Jamaica, Barbados, India, and Nigeria.

At the same time, the British government invited people from the Caribbean to come and help rebuild the country.

They put up job adverts and posters encouraging people to move to Britain.

The Windrush generation are people who came from the Caribbean to live and work in Britain between the years of 1948 and 1971.

So some countries in the Caribbean are Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Grenada, St.

Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Migrants from the Caribbean to Britain traveled on a ship called the HMT Empire Windrush, and this is why they're called the Windrush generation.

In June 1948, HMT Empire Windrush brought over 1,000 passengers to England.

Most came from the Caribbean countries such as Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad.

At the time, Trinidad and Tobago were one country, but the boats only stopped in Trinidad so that people could board.

HMT Empire Windrush arrives at Tilbury Docks in Essex near London on the 21st of June 1948, and passengers began disembarking the very next day.

This marked the beginning of what became known as the Windrush migration.

Let's do a check for understanding to see how you're doing so far.

Where did the Windrush generation come from? Can you remember? Was it A, India; B, the Caribbean; C, America; or D, Windrush? What do you think? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that the Windrush generation came from the Caribbean.

During World War II, thousands of Caribbean people fought as part of the British Army or the Royal Air Force, often referred to as the RAF.

When the war ended, some Caribbean people stayed in Britain, while others returned to their home countries.

After the British Nationality Act, many Caribbean people, some of whom had fought for Britain during the war, chose to migrate to Britain.

Ms. Walsh tells us that between 1948 and 1971, it's estimated that around 500,000 people from the Caribbean countries came to live in Britain.

Britain needed people to help rebuild after World War II.

The war had damaged buildings and roads, and many people had died or left the country.

So the economy and infrastructure, which is things like buildings and roads, all needed repairing.

Workers were particularly needed to help build and support public transport, so buses and trains, postal services, and the brand new NHS, which was established after World War II.

People from the Windrush generation often worked in low-paid and manual jobs.

This meant that their jobs involved working hard with their bodies.

These jobs were vital for rebuilding the country, especially the public services that needed repair.

These roles were also less popular with many people that were already living in Britain, so migrants were more likely to be hired for them.

People from the Caribbean also chose to come to Britain for other reasons other than just being invited, including for higher wages, a better quality of life, for example, better housing and more jobs, to start or restart businesses, to give their family more opportunities.

We are now going to do another check for understanding.

Which three public services in particular needed more workers after World War II? Can you remember? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that public transport, postal services, and NHS or healthcare, all of these public services needed more workers after World War II.

Well done if you remembered this.

Let's move on to your first practice task where you can put all of your learning so far into practice.

For this task, I'd like you to complete the sentences to show your understanding of the Windrush generation.

Number one, the British Nationality Act 1948 gave people from British colonies.

Number two, the Windrush generation are the people who came from.

Number three, after World War II, Britain needed.

And finally, number four, people from the Windrush generation were invited by and also moved for.

Can you complete the sentences to show your understanding of the Windrush generation? Pause the video, and we'll go through what you might have said in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what you might have said.

Your completed sentences might look like this.

Number one, the British Nationality Act 1948 gave people from British colonies the right to move to Britain to live and work.

Number two, the Windrush generation are the people who came from the Caribbean to Britain between 1948 and 1971.

Number three, after World War II, Britain needed help rebuilding and workers for public services like public transport and the NHS.

And number four, people from the Windrush generation were invited by the British government and also moved for higher wages and better quality of life.

Well done if your sentences looked anything like this.

It's now time to move on to our second learning cycle, and well done for your hard work so far.

This learning cycle is called "What challenges did the Windrush generation face?" Even though the Windrush generation were invited by the government to help rebuild Britain, not everyone unfortunately welcomed them.

Andrea says that although some people in Britain were welcoming, some migrants did face racism, unfair treatment and prejudice.

Some struggled to get jobs, to find adequate housing, and some experienced racist name-calling and even attacks.

We're now going to talk a little bit about employment discrimination.

Many migrants were not given jobs because of the color of their skin, even though they had the right skills and were invited to work in Britain to help rebuild.

They were often payed less than their white coworkers, even for doing the same job.

These are both examples of employment discrimination that people from the Windrush generation faced.

We're now going to talk about housing discrimination.

So people from the Windrush generation were often refused housing because some landlords would not rent to black people.

Because many landlords refused to rent to them, they had to live in poorer-quality homes or in areas that weren't safe or well looked after.

We're now going to talk about racism and prejudice.

So some people in Britain treated migrants, especially black migrants, unfairly.

And unfortunately, some people from the Windrush generation were hurt or had their homes damaged because of the color of their skin.

In some cases, they were refused service in shops and they were told to leave their homes.

Let's do another check for understanding to see how you're doing.

I'd like you to decide if this statement is true or false.

Everyone in Britain welcomed the Windrush generation.

What do you think? Is this true or false? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that this is false, but why? You might have said that while some people welcomed them, unfortunately, many faced racism and discrimination, especially in housing and jobs.

Well done if you remembered this.

Despite facing challenges, many people from the Windrush generation were really successful in Britain.

Izzy's dad tells us that they learned new skills, worked in healthcare and construction, started their own businesses, and helped to build new communities.

They also became involved in politics, sports, music, film, and more.

Izzy wants to share her story.

Izzy says, "My great-grandparents were part of the Windrush generation.

My great-grandmother was a nurse in the NHS, and my great-grandfather worked in a factory.

I feel so proud that I have family from the Windrush generation because they have left such an important legacy in Britain." Izzy's dad says, "I'm proud of my grandparents for coming to Britain, but it makes me angry to think about how many challenges that they faced.

Their experiences have inspired me to do what I can to make the world a more welcoming and inclusive place." Let's do another check for understanding.

This time, I'd like you to decide who is correct, Alex or Aisha.

Alex says that the Windrush generation were not successful because they faced discrimination, but Aisha says that many people from the Windrush generation were successful despite experiencing discrimination.

Who do you think is correct, Alex or Aisha? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that Aisha is correct.

It's true that many people from the Windrush generation were successful despite experiencing discrimination.

Well done if you said the same thing.

Let's move on to our second practice task, and well done for your hard work so far.

For this task, I'd like you to describe three challenges that people from the Windrush generation experienced, and I'd like you to try to use these words in your answer: employment discrimination, housing discrimination, and racism.

Can you describe three challenges that people from the Windrush generation experienced? Pause the video, and we'll go through some model answers in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what you might have said.

You might have said that the Windrush generation faced employment discrimination because they were sometimes not given jobs due to the color of their skin, or they were paid less than white coworkers, even for the same job.

They also experienced housing discrimination when landlords refused to rent to them or they had to live in poorer-quality homes and unsafe areas that weren't looked after.

Many also experienced racism, including unfair treatment, name-calling, and even being attacked.

Well done if you remembered any of these challenges that people from the Windrush generation experienced.

We're now moving on to our final learning cycle, How has the Windrush generation shaped Britain? The Windrush generation helped Britain to rebuild after World War II.

Izzy's aunt says that skilled workers from the Caribbean built up public services like the NHS and transport systems, so for example, buses and trains.

Without them, Britain might not have had enough workers for this important rebuilding.

However, the Windrush generation gave Britain much more than just their work.

They brought their cultures, their traditions, which helped to shape modern Britain as we know it today.

We're now going to talk a little bit about Caribbean food.

So when migrants from the Caribbean came to Britain, they brought their food and recipes with them.

New ingredients like yams, sweet potatoes, and coconut became available in British shops, which they hadn't been before.

Caribbean dishes such as jerk chicken and ackee and saltfish became popular in British homes and restaurants.

We're now going to talk about Caribbean music.

Caribbean people also brought their music to Britain, and this includes genres like reggae, calypso, and mambo.

These musical styles influenced new types of British music like UK garage, jungle, and grime, which we still hear today and are still popular.

The famous Notting Hill Carnival in London, which celebrates Caribbean culture and music every year, was started by someone from the Windrush generation.

Although migration existed for a long time before the Windrush generation, Britain became a far more diverse place when Caribbean migrants arrived.

New communities grew in cities like London, Birmingham, and Manchester, and these communities helped to change and widen what it means to be British.

Izzy's dad says that today, around 1 million people in the UK are of Caribbean descent.

The legacy of the Windrush generation lives on through their influence on British culture, their food, and their music.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Can you tell the person next to you one reason why this following statement is incorrect? The Windrush generation had no lasting impact on Britain.

Can you tell the person next to you why this is not correct? Pause the video, talk to the person next to you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said something like: the Windrush generation has influenced the music and food available in Britain and helped to widen what it means to be British.

Well done if your answer was something like this.

Another important part of Windrush history is the Windrush scandal, which was uncovered in 2018.

In 1971, a law was passed that allowed people from former British colonies, like those in the Caribbean, to live in the UK permanently.

Lucille says that, "This meant that many people from the Windrush generation like me were able to legally live in Britain." However, unfortunately, the UK government didn't keep proper records of which migrants had been given permission to stay, and unfortunately because of this, some members of the Windrush generation were wrongly told that they were in the country illegally.

Some people were deported, and this means sent out of the country, denied NHS healthcare or benefits, or even lost their jobs and homes.

The Prime Minister in 2018, Theresa May, apologized for the Windrush scandal, and those affected were offered compensation, this means money.

The Windrush scandal showed that many migrants from the Windrush generation had been treated unfairly.

It also made people think about whether the way the UK treats migrants is fair, and it helped to show the importance of having fair laws and equal treatment for everyone.

After the Windrush generation began arriving in 1948, the rules about who could move to Britain started to change.

Over time, it became harder for people from the Caribbean and other former British colonies to move to the UK.

In 1971, a new law meant that most people could only come to Britain for a short time, not to live here permanently as a resident.

Izzy's dad says that even though the Windrush generation faced these challenges, attitudes have changed over time, and today we have laws to protect people from discrimination, such as the Equality Act.

They've also left a lasting legacy in Britain.

They've helped to rebuild the country, they've brought culture and diversity, and they've made Britain a fairer and more interesting place to live.

We can honor their legacy by learning their stories, treating others with fairness, and celebrating the different backgrounds of the people around us.

Let's do another check for understanding.

What was the Windrush scandal? A, when it was discovered that everyone from the Windrush generation had been treated fairly by the government, or B, was it when it was discovered that some migrants from the Windrush generation had received unfair treatment, including being wrongfully deported? What was the Windrush scandal? Can you remember? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that B is correct.

The Windrush scandal was when it was discovered that some migrants from the Windrush generation had received unfair treatment, including being wrongfully deported.

Well done if you remembered this.

It's now time to move on to our final practice task.

For this task, I'd like you to choose two areas from British life and I'd like you to explain how they've been shaped by the Windrush generation.

These are the areas from British life that you can choose from: food, music, community, and equality.

Can you choose two of those areas and explain how they've been shaped by the Windrush generation? Pause the video, and we'll go through some model answers in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what you might have said.

For food, you might have said that the Windrush generation brought different dishes and ingredients to Britain, such as jerk chicken, yams, and sweet potatoes.

For music, you might have said that the Windrush generation brought different genres of music to Britain, for example, reggae and mambo, and have influenced genres such as UK garage and jungle, which are still popular today.

For community, you might have said that the Windrush generation developed new communities and made Britain a more diverse place, for example, by holding the Notting Hill Carnival every year.

And for equality, you might have said that the unfair treatment of the Windrush generation helped to show the importance of having fair laws and equal treatment for everyone.

Well done if your answers were anything like this.

We are now going to summarize the key learning from today's lesson.

In today's lesson, we've learned that the Windrush generation were migrants who came from the Caribbean to Britain from 1948 until 1971.

They'd been invited by the British government to help rebuild Britain after World War II, and they often worked for public services, particularly in the NHS, postal and transport services.

While some people were welcoming towards them, unfortunately, many Caribbean migrants faced racism and discrimination.

The culture and contributions of the Windrush generation have left a lasting legacy in Britain's music, food, and communities.

And finally, we've learned that the Windrush scandal also highlighted the unfair treatment of many migrants and showed the importance of fair laws and equal treatment.

In today's lesson, you might have found that you've got some worries or some questions, and if you do, it's really important that you share these with a trusted adult.

There's also a resource on the screen that's there to help you too.

Well done for your hard work today.

I hope to see you again soon.