Cross-Curricular Remembrance Workshop Provides a Fascinating Insight into World War One for Pupils from St Andrew's CofE Primary School

We were delighted to welcome pupils from year 6 at St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School into school on Thursday 31st October 2019, to take part in a World War 1 Remembrance Workshop.

The day comprised of three engaging sessions. There was a fun art workshop with Mrs Smith, Teacher of Textiles, creating vibrant poppies from tissue paper, red felt and black buttons and the outline of the children’s hands, cut out of red card. The poppies were then combined to create three beautiful wreaths for the children to take back into school and use as part of their Remembrance assemblies. Miss Porter, Teacher of History and organiser of the event, led a fascinating history workshop. Pupils were able to examine and find out more about artefacts from World War 1. The artefacts included British Army Biscuits, Button Sticks, a replica of a Training Rifle, a Tank Mask and a Next of Kin Memorial Plaque. Pupils from year 9 at Archbishop Temple School shared their knowledge about each item with small groups of pupils from St Andrew’s, to enable them to research and answer questions about each item. Mrs Sherwood, Head of Performing Arts, ran an uplifting music workshop, teaching the pupils ‘It’s a Long, Long Way to Tipperary’, a rousing song sung by soldiers during World War 1 and ‘White Cliffs of Dover’, a song sung by Vera Lynn to troops during World War 2. The day culminated in a whole year music session, the pupils singing the songs they had learned to an audience.

“The primary remembrance workshop was fantastic to be a part of,” said Miss Porter. “All the pupils engaged with the variety of activities that they took part in. The pupils from Archbishop Temple School, who helped during the sessions, were a credit to the school and demonstrated their vast knowledge of the war with the artefacts that were borrowed from the Imperial War Museum North.”

It was a pleasure to work with the pupils from St Andrew’s CofE Primary School. Thank-you to all the staff members and pupils from Archbishop Temple School who were involved in the workshop.