Lesson Plan
Britain Since 1948
Lesson 2: Welcome to Britain?
1. General introduction to the lesson
This lesson begins by looking at the reception given to the first post war migrants from the Caribbean who came on board the Empire Windrush. It
examines the housing shortages and racism that these new arrivals faced, and discusses the kind of jobs they took on.
2. Learning objectives
This section looks at the arrival of the Empire Windrush in Britain in 1948, and why it was important. It examines the reception that the first Caribbean
migrants received in Britain. It looks at the employment and housing issues they encountered, and some examples of the racism they faced.
3. Learning outcomes and assessment opportunities
Children will learn:
1. About the arrival of the Empire Windrush, the people who travelled on it, and why they chose to migrate to Britain
2. About the lack of government preparedness for their arrival, and why there were accommodation problems as a result.
3. About the types of jobs people took up, and how they felt about them.
4. About some examples of the racism and lack of understanding that confronted many new arrivals. .
Assessment Opportunities: Two Activity Sheets and children’s responses to discussions
4. Notes for teaching this lesson
1
Lesson Page
and Name
Page 1: Voyage
to the ‘Mother
Land’.
Page2:
Nowhere to Stay
Page 3: A Place
to Live
Page 4:
The High Cost
of Living
Page 5:Finding
a Job
Page 6: Racism
at Work
Questions for Discussion
What expectations did the first migrants to
Britain have about their reception here?
How were they disappointed?
Was the British governments response
reasonable in the circumstances?
Why did (and do) new migrants tend to
cluster in certain districts of cities?
Could the British government have done
more to help the situation?
What job sectors, and which areas of the
country had the worst skills shortages?
Why?
What organisation was set up to combat
racism in the work place and elsewhere?
Activities
Differentiation activities
Activity Sheet: Going
Deep Down
Support: This is a particularly suitable activity for children with
limited writing ability, as the response can be drawn.
Audio clip to replace
poem? (Discussed at
editorial meeting)
Activity Sheet: Letter
Home
Extension Activity: Wole Soyinka’s poem – Telephone
Conversation
2