Colston's Girls' School has reacted to comments made by Great British Bake Off star Briony Williams.
It comes after she criticised the school via an Instagram post on Monday (June 8) saying that the school did not teach students Colston's links to slavery when she was a student at the school.
Since the toppling of the Edward Colston statue on Sunday (June 7) during the Black Lives Matter protest here in Bristol, there have been calls for statues to be brought down and buildings and streets to be renamed.
Following Briony's comments, the Principal of Colston's Girls' School, Kerry McCullagh has confirmed that the history curriculum has since changed at the school.
Kerry McCullagh was able to confirm that the school now teaches Edward Colston's links to the slave trade and how he acquired his wealth.
She said: “The content of our history curriculum has changed a great deal over recent years. It is regrettable that former pupils were taught a narrow view of Bristol’s history, celebrating Edward Colston as the school’s benefactor without fully understanding where his wealth came from.
"All students in Years 7, 8 and 9 now study a transparent history of the transatlantic slave trade including Edward Colston's role in the abhorrent trade that devastated so many lives.
“Last year, our Head of History undertook a teaching fellowship on Britain and transatlantic slavery through the Historical Association and we continue to review the curriculum to ensure that we are reflecting the most recent best practice in this area.
“We are immensely proud of the academic curiosity our students show when they explore our city’s history and the confidence with which they share their own views with their teachers, peers and members of the wider community.”
