Much of our teaching about values, including our Eastfield Values, is based around looking at positive role models within society and learning from their example. Role models can give the children a sense of what is possible, what to aspire to and that individuals can make a significant difference in the world.
We hear all too often in the news and on TV about those who are getting attention for the wrong reasons, and this is a chance for us to shine a light on those people who should be well known to our children for all the right reasons.
Although the children will learn about many role models, we have decided to name our classes and teaching rooms after those individuals that the Eastfield community voted for as the most important for their children to learn about. Currently, these are:
Name | Known As A… | Country of Origin | Years Alive | Associated Eastfield Value | Role model because… | |
Stephen Hawking |  | Scientist | England | 1942–2018 | Ambition and Aspiration | His brilliant mind and overcoming severe disability to become one of the world’s most renown scientists. |
Will.i.am |  | Singer | USA | 1975-Present | Inclusive of Others | Creating a charitable foundation that builds houses for the homeless and pays for deprived students to go to school. All of his money from ‘The Voice’ goes to charity. |
Vincent Kompany |  | Footballer | Belgium | 1986-Present | Community Spirit | Giving all of his wages for an entire year to the homeless in Manchester. |
Nelson Mandela |  | Political Leader | South Africa | 1918-2013 | Honest | Bringing an end to racial segregation and Apartheid Law in South Africa. |
Albert Einstein |  | Scientist | German | 1879-1955 | Creativity and Imagination | Overcame dyslexia to become a world renown scientist, developing the theory of relativity. |
Marie Curie |  | Scientist | Poland | 1867-1933 | Creativity and Imagination | Conducted pioneering research into radiotherapy, which helps millions across the world today. |
Marcus Rashford |  | Footballer | England | 1997-Present | Community Spirit | Lead the campaign to provide free school meals to thousands of children over the holidays. |
Capt. Sir Tom Moore |  | Serviceman and fundraiser | England | 1920-2021 | Ambition and Aspiration | Served in WW2 and walked 100 laps of his garden for his 100 th birthday raising £40,000,000. |
Bill Gates |  | Philanthropist and businessman | USA | 1955-Present | Kind | Co-founded Microsoft and the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation through which he has donated over $40,000,000,000 of his own money to charity. Set up ‘The Giving Pledge’ encouraging the richest people to give away half of their fortune to charity. |
Mo Farah |  | Sportsman | Somalia | 1983-Present | Ambitious and Aspirational | Most successful British track athlete in history and founder of the Mo Farah Foundation that raises money to support people in Somalia. |
Baroness Doreen Lawrence |  | Campaigner against knife crime | England | 1952-Present | Kind | Founded the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust after her son was murdered in a racist attack. Has campaigned and brought about changes to policing and ‘institutional racism’. |
Martin Luther King |  | Civil Rights leader | USA | 1929-1968 | Ambitious and Aspirational | Minister and leader of the civil rights movement in America. Was assassinated in 1968. Known most widely for his ‘I have a dream’ speech in 1963. |
Irena Sendler |  | Humanitarian and Nurse | Poland | 1910-2008 | Kind | Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize after rescuing 2500 children from the Warsaw ghetto during WW2. |
Rosa Parks |  | Civil Rights Activist | USA | 1913-2005 | Inclusive of Others | Civil rights activist who was arrested for refusing to give up her seat for a white person in segregated USA. Known as the ‘Mother of the Freedom Movement’. |
Mother Teresa |  | Nun and Missionary | Macedonia | 1910-1997 | Kind | Founded the Missionaries of Charity, supporting those with Aids/HIV, setting up soup kitchens, orphanages, schools and clinics in over 133 countries with the support of over, amongst others, 4500 nuns. |
Dr Hawa Abdi (Mama Hawa) |  | Doctor | Somalia | 1947-2020 | Community Spirit | Nobel Peace Prize nominee - dedicated her life to providing high-quality healthcare, education, and shelter to vulnerable people, even in times of war and famine. |
Queen Elizabeth II |  | Monarch | England | 1926-2022 | Ambitious and Aspirational | Britain’s longest serving monarch, taking part in 300 public events per year. |
Mae Jemison |  | Astronaut | USA | 1956-Present | Imaginative & Creative | Became the first black woman to travel into space when she served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. |
Michelle Obama |  | Former First Lady and Advocate for Women and Education | USA | 1964-Present | Kind | As first lady, Michelle Obama served as a role model for women and worked as an advocate for poverty awareness and education. |
Emmeline Pankhurst |  | Activist for Women’s Rights | England | 1858-1928 | Ambition and Aspirational | Best remembered for organizing the UK suffragette movement and helping women win the right to vote. |
Stevie Wonder |  | Musician | USA | 1950-Present | Inclusive of Others | One of the world’s most successful singers and songwriters. Although blind from birth is an amazing pianist, harmonica player and drummer. |
Chris Packham |  | English Naturalist | England | 1961-Present | Inclusive of Others | Christopher Gary Packham CBE is an English naturalist, nature photographer, television presenter and author, best known for his television work including the CBBC children's nature series The Really Wild Show from 1986 to 1995. |
Baroness Floella Benjamin |  | Actress, Presenter, Writer | Trinidad | 1949-Present | Community Spirit | Baroness Floella Benjamin is known for many things including being a children’s TV presenter, an author of many books and her community work linked to education that has led to her gaining the title of Baroness. |
Florence Nightingale |  | Nurse | England | 1820-1910 | Kind | Florence Nightingale, known for being the founder of modern nursing and credited with saving many soldiers during the Crimean war due to her improved nursing techniques. |
Download a PDF version of the above table: Eastfield School Role Models.pdf