Trailblazing rugby skipper and educator Floyd Steadman books Black History Month date at University of Leicester

Trailblazing rugby captain, educator, and leader, Floyd Steadman OBE, will be in conversation at a Black History Month event at the University of Leicester.

Born to Windrush-generation parents and raised in care, Floyd defied racial bias to become the first Black captain of a top-tier English rugby club and later, the first Black male headteacher in the UK private school sector.

The event, which is free to attend, will see Floyd share his remarkable journey, from Saracens RFC to shaping young minds in education, including mentoring England RFU captain Maro Itoje.

After living in care between the ages 10 to 17, Floyd overcame instances of racial bias against him in his career, to became an outstanding sport and education leader and recipient of some of the highest honours that the country bestows.

After graduating from Borough Road College with a teaching degree, he played for Saracens from 1980 to 1990, and became first black captain of a top-tier English RFU club, and the first black top-tier scrum-half.

At a time when RFU players earned their living outside rugby, Floyd became a teacher, emulating his inspirational PE teacher, Mr Jones, and ignoring those teachers who pointed him towards being a car mechanic or carpenter.  He spent 20 years at three schools without achieving his ambition to be a head, although applying for many that he seemed well suited to. Then, unexpectedly, Chris Woodhead, formerly Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools and Head of OFSTED, called.  Woodhead had founded Cognita to create an international independent schools chain. Cognita appointed Floyd as Head of Salcombe Prep School from January 2006 – the first black male head in the private sector. He stayed with Cognita, heading several schools, until retiring in 2020.

Floyd is a renowned public speaker and natural-born leader. Like all true leaders, he recognised the potential for greatness in others. It was thus that he encouraged Maro Itoje, the current England rugby union skipper, to consider taking up the sport in Itoje's final year at Salcombe.

The event takes place on Thursday 23 October at the University’s Brookfield site, in London Road. Ten signed copies of Floyd’s autobiography, A Week One Summer, will also be up for grabs at the event.

To reserve a place, visit the event website.

Find out about all of the University of Leicester Black History Month events on the website.