Pupils honour first black head teacher with mural

As reported by the BBC, a mural is being painted to honour Wales’ first black head teacher on the side of the school where she taught

Pupils at Mount Stuart Primary School, Cardiff, decided to pay tribute to Betty Campbell MBE after learning about her legacy at the school. Mrs Campbell became the first black head teacher in Wales at the school in the 1970s and a statue dedicated to the pioneering teacher was unveiled in Cardiff city centre in 2021. The statue was commissioned after it was found there were no statues celebrating women in Wales.

Teacher Shubnam Aziz said that it was the statue that inspired the pupils to come together and ask the governing body about having a mural of Mrs Campbell at the school.Pupils decided to raise money for the mural, but Cardiff University is funding the artwork on the side of the school.

The mural is being painted by artist Bradley Rmer, who also painted the well-known My City, My Shirt mural in Cardiff.

Ms Aziz said: “The pupils are very proud of Betty Campbell, she was a pioneer in multi-cultural education and diversity and a founder of Black History Month.

“The children have learned about her legacy and being agents of change, they asked for this.

“Her legacy lives on at Mount Stuart and we are proud of her and how she dedicated her life to the school.”

Ms Aziz said she met Betty Campbell herself when she was a student teacher and now, Mrs Campbell’s granddaughter, Rachel Clarke, delivers anti-racism training at the primary school, highlighting the head teacher’s ongoing impact.