SMALL AXE: EDUCATION

UK, 2020, 63 minutes, Colour.

Kenyah Sandy, Sharlene Whyte, Daniel Francis, Tamara Lawrance, Adrian Rawlins., Naomi Ackie

Directed by Steve Mc Queen.

Small Axe is the title for a series of five short films made four British television but seen throughout the world. They are cowritten and directed by British director, Steve McQueen, who won an Oscar for best film with 12 Years a Slave. Each of the films in Small Axe takes up themes of West Indians in the UK ranging from police, education, music… Steve Mc Queen’s films are a reminder of racism in past decades in the UK as well as a reminder of significant figures who have emerged and contributed to British life.

 The films screened at the end of 2020, the year of major protests in the United States, Black Lives Matter.

From Wikipedia: Although the characters in Education are fictional, the film is based on real-life events of the 1970s, when some London councils followed an unofficial policy of transferring disproportionate numbers of black children from mainstream education to schools for the so-called "educationally subnormal". The practice was exposed by educationalist Bernard Coard in his 1971 pamphlet How the West Indian Child is Made Educationally Sub-normal in the British School System.

1. The final in the Small Axe series? The purpose of the series? The focus on West Indian migrants to the UK, living in London, the different generations, opportunities, racism? The focus on the 1970s and 1980s?
2. The London setting, the district, homes and interiors, the schools in the classrooms, the local hall meetings? The background musical score? Rhythms?
3. The title, the focus, the critique of the London system, targeting West Indian children, sub- normal, not recognising talent, engineered IQ test, special schools? Prejudices of officials, principals of schools, teachers?
4. The picture of the school principal, his manners, yet targeting Kingsley, the meeting with his mother? The new school, the testing of reading, the lazy teachers, singing the House of the Rising Sun, the harsh teacher and her lack of care, the recreation period?
5. Kingsley’s story, the opening, the display of the galaxies, his delight, wanting to be an astronaut, his sketches – and the finale with him looking at the stars again?
6. Kingsley, age, personality, in class, unable to read? With his friends, black and white? The principal, sending him to the other school, low IQ? His being unwilling? Separation from his friends? Travelling by bus, hiding in the bus but the friendly driver concealing him? The experience of the new school, boredom? The kids mucking around on the bus? His mother and her severity? His father offering to teaching betrayed? The help from his sister?
7. Hazel visiting the school, meeting Kingsley, seeing the children, confronting the teacher? Saying she was a psychologist? With the woman leading the investigation, the meeting, the mothers present?
8. The family, the mother at work, severe, the visit from the two women, the booklet, explanations, her not reading it, hiding it, the visit to the principal, reading the book, telling the principal off? The going to the meeting, listening attentively? Cooperating? Testing whether Kingsley could read or not? The father, his presence, hard work, upset about his son, wanting him to learn a trade? Amazed at the end at his son’s reading? Stephanie, her own ambitions, fashion, the talent, helping the house, helping with Kingsley?
9. Kingsley and Stephanie going to the special class, the kindly woman managing, affirming, discussions, opening up Horizons?
10. Kingsley, his transformation, hope?
11. The urging of Kingsley’s mother to write to Margaret Thatcher in her education role? Possibilities for change?