ABSTRACT

This chapter examines the role of the Black Girls' Club in challenging the status quo for young girls of color in the UK education system. It begins with an examination of how race, class, and gender intersect as potential barriers in Black girls' experiences in education, exploring the ways in which Black girls are made simultaneously invisible and hyper-visible in the British education system. The chapter describes focus groups and semi-structured interviews for this research study. It focuses on the focus groups that took place at the City Community School, which continued over two academic years. Both the school and each of the girls were assigned pseudonyms to protect the identities of those who took part in the research. The chapter wants the work in the group to be shaped by the girls yet guided by the researcher. It examines the focus groups provided a "safe" environment for the young Black girls to speak with the researcher in confidence.