Our Journey
In the first phase of this project we are focusing on adding the marginalised voices of African, Caribbean and Asian peoples to represent a global view within the curriculum, rather than the current Eurocentric curriculum. This gives young people a fuller sense of all aspects of a story and encourages robust critical thinking rather than one sided narratives. It introduces to us a whole wave of exciting new discoveries and refreshes the curriculum so it is fit for modern times. Creating an exciting fusion of compelling new learning materials, OBC gives students access to an engaging curriculum.
We aim to address inequality within our city and education systems by tackling the issues which exacerbate racism and disparity. By learning together and telling a more complete story of who we are, we will build a sense of unity that embraces and celebrates all cultures and identities.
Making a Difference
The One Bristol Curriculum has had an interesting journey. Whilst there has been awareness of inequalities in education due to students’ race for some time, the Runnymede Trust Report (2017) outlined these disparities in stark terms and labelled Bristol ‘A City Divided’. This report set out the issues with race and education and the potential knock on effects of limiting life choices and opportunities for Black, Asian and minority communities; providing motivation to produce something that would make a difference. Education data, pupil experience, Covid and the death of George Floyd resulting in a wave of BLM marches furthered awareness of these issues and our desire for a fairer and more equal society – which starts with education.
The One Bristol Curriculum has become a Bristol family made up of the many people who believe that diversifying the curriculum is crucial - teachers, parents, community groups, young people, councillors, businesses - the list is extensive. All of these people have contributed to our journey.
Meet the Team
The One Bristol Curriculum is led by our small team that combines skills of business and enterprise, community and education; demonstrating a collective approach to inclusive education and enterprise. As a team, we believe this is a positive way to move education forward through activism in action.
Sibusiso Tshabalala: Project Facilitator
“The pursuit of excellence through self-regulated learning is a constructive process that leads to setting your own monitoring, control, cognition, motivation, and behaviour. Let your everyday discipline be your guide to achieving your worthy ideals.”
Esther Deans: Education Lead
Humanities KS4 Lead at Malmesbury School. She is formerly an initial teacher training Associate Tutor for Bath Spa University and Bristol University. She is a member of the Race Equality in Education steering group in Bristol, Chair of the Stand Against Racism & Inequality and Chair of Bristol SACRE.
Khadijah Jalloh: Schools and Public Communication Lead
Khadijah is a Project Coordinator and Research Assistant. She graduated from the University of Bristol in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. “Our society is a multicultural one, and our curriculum should reflect that. In this way, we can empower students with the full picture of our history and the ways in which different communities have helped shape our society and continue to do so”.
Marta Celio: Web Design and Marketing Support
Marta is a multidisciplinary concept-led graphic designer. In her work she aims to question the current social dynamics and celebrate culture, communicating complex ideas in a more accessible form. She is interested in analysing and commenting on the current social discourse to bring about social change.
Steering Committee
Guiding the journey of the One Bristol Curriculum is a committed and influential steering committee. The committee brings together a depth of knowledge and experience from a range of fields and perspectives within education, and is tasked to oversee the governance and strategic development of the One Bristol Curriculum.
Sherrie Eugene-Hart
Sherrie is an award winning broadcaster and has received the top award from Race in the Media for her film Windrush (1998) and an itv NEWS Award for her Human Interest Feature ‘Proud to be me. The boy with no arms’. (2006). She was the First Black Woman in the UK to qualify as a British Sign Language Interpreter and is the Co-founder and director of production company E-Com Media, which supports young people with an interest in TV and Radio production.
David Watson
A highly experienced educationalist, David's career to date has included headships in both Birmingham and Manchester. In parallel to this, he has held leader and director-level positions for national and regional educational bodies, as well as being an Ofsted inspector. His strong track record of success saw him awarded an OBE in the 2019 New Year's Honours List for services to education.
Neil Blundell
Neil is CEO of CST. In 2008 Neil became Headteacher at Bristol Cathedral School which is currently one of the most oversubscribed schools in the country. In 2011 Neil led a bid to open a primary Free School, Cathedral Primary which opened in 2013 and in 2016 he submitted another Free School bid Trinity Academy, a secondary school which opened in 2019. Neil is a NLE (National Leader in Education) and an EE (Educational Expert) and worked as an Ofsted inspector from 2014-17. Neil has worked as a consultant, coach and school improvement partner across a number of schools across the country. As part of the Teaching School alliance Neil worked to establish the NPQEL qualification.
Roger Griffith
Roger is a social entrepreneur, lecturer and engaged in several communities and social action projects. He is a lecturer for UWE Bristol helping to diversify the curriculum and working on a number of community engagement projects. He sits on the Arts Council England South West advisory board. In March 2018 Roger was awarded the Lord Mayor’s Medal for his community and voluntary work on race equality and in 2019 he was awarded the M.B.E. for services to diversity and arts.
Neisha Hussain
Neisha is a Bristol Youth Counsellor in Year 10. As a member of the steering group she hopes to contribute her opinions and ideas on evolving/ improving the current curriculum from her position as a young BAME student. As well as speaking on what she believes other students would want in their new curriculum.
Ruth Pitter
Ruth is the Voscur Equalities Manager as well as an active founding member of Breathing Fire, Bristol’s black women’s playback theatre company which is the UK’s only black women’s theatre company.