Students from City of London Academy Highgate Hill were treated to a morning Zoom call with Arsenal player Joe Willock to mark Black History Month.

Year 9 and 10 pupils from the school, which is part of the City of London Academies Trust, held the online call with the midfielder on Wednesday 7 October.

The teenagers were asked to produce a number of questions that revolved around Black History Month and asked questions about Joe’s career at Arsenal.

Black History Month, which takes place each October in the UK, is an event that has been celebrated nationwide for more than 30 years.

It was originally founded to recognise the contributions that people of African and Caribbean backgrounds have made to the UK over many generations.

Now, Black History Month has expanded to include all black people.

The school based in Archway works with the Arsenal in the Community Scheme.

The programme sends coaches to work with the school’s girls during their football lessons. 

Joe Howard, head of PE at the Holland Walk school, said:

“This was a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to virtually meet Joe, but more importantly for them to ask questions relating to Black History Month.

“Joe took the time to answer the student’s questions and we are all grateful for his time.”

The City of London Corporation sponsors or co-sponsors 10 academies across Hackney, Newham, Islington and Southwark.

It has twice been named by social mobility charity Sutton Trust as the UK’s best academy sponsor for empowering pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to perform above the national average, and the leading academy sponsor for Progress 8 and Attainment 8, which track pupil progress and achievement.