Year 6, A2, Week 5

Year 6 have absolutely loved their Diverse Britain learning this week. For their British Role Model, they were studying James Somerset. James Somerset was an enslaved man, who travelled with his slave owner, Charles Stewart to London from Virginia in 1769. Upon arriving in London, he realised he had no right to be an enslaved man, notably because he had been baptised. He went to Granville Sharp, a lawyer who dedicated his life to the abolishment of slavery. Granville Sharp later organised a court case, influenced by Somerset’s story, which would later lead to the abolition of slavery in Britain. Year 6 have been preparing for their own court case in the classroom this week. They have all had different roles in the case, lawyers, ushers, clerks, judges, witnesses and of course the jury! The children have been using their oracy skills to prepare for this court case and cannot wait for the judge and jury to make their final verdict. Have a look at some of their preparations in the following photos!