Sir Francis Drake Primary School in London is to be renamed because of the legendary navigator’s links to the slave trade. The school’s head teacher told parents that the school will now be known as Twin Oaks Primary.
According to The Telegraph:
The famed navigator became an English national hero for helping to defeat the Spanish Armada in 1588, but his legacy was reassessed following Black Lives Matter protests, and his connections to slavery have made him a contentious figure.
The Sir Francis Drake school in south London will be renamed “Twin Oaks Primary”, it headteacher has announced, informing parents: “The slave trade links associated with the current name sat at odds with the values of our school.”
The primary in Lewisham consulted on a name change in 2022, and received 450 responses from parents, staff, pupils and the local community.
A letter sent from the school to parents states that “the overwhelming majority of respondents voted in favour of changing the school’s current name”, with Twin Oaks – a reference to two trees standing outside the school – found to be the most popular alternative.
The decision to consult on a new name was taken by the schools’ Governing Body, and will require a change of logo for the primary, as the current design depicts a 16th century ship.
The headteacher of the school, Karen Cartwright, has sought to assure parents that they will not have to pay out for new branded uniforms as a result of the change.
