16 Nov 2024
Bringing together heritage and history was at the heart of a school’s Remembrance Day project commemorating students’ ancestors who had died in conflicts since the First World War.
Marlborough Science Academy wanted to emphasise the school’s core values of dignity, compassion and kindness while reflecting on the sacrifices made by service personnel throughout history.
Head of History Andrew Pressland encouraged Year 8 students to research their family’s military past to find out whether they had relatives who had lost their lives in either World War.
The initiative prompted more than 60 responses, and resulted in the creation of personalised poppies detailing the stories of these fallen soldiers and their regiments.
Military historian Steve Roberts researched many of the individual serviceman to help pupils gain a greater understanding of what they went through in service to their country.
The school had previously organised a tour of Royal Anglian Regiment war graves at Ypres and the Somme, where some students were able to trace their ancestors’ final resting places – or in some cases, memorials for those whose bodies were never recovered.
Mr Pressland explained the reasoning behind the initiative: “Our focus this year is heritage. These aren’t just events we learn about, there are so many stories to be told here that help us better understand our country, our communities and our family.
“It’s very important to actually understand that this isn’t just history, this is heritage, and our relatives were a part of these events.”
Away from the classroom, more than 60 students attended a screening of ‘My Boy Jack’, a film about Rudyard Kipling’s son who was killed during the First World War, and participated in fundraising activities in support of the Royal British Legion and the Army Benevolent Fund, including Year 10 girls knitting crochet poppies to raise money.
Assemblies marking Remembrance Day took place for all year groups on Monday, with the school observing a two-minutes silence, The Last Post played at multiple venues across the campus, and readings of the poem ‘For the Fallen’.
Headteacher Annie Thomson added: “By engaging students in personal research and providing opportunities for reflection, the school has helped them understand the real human cost of war and the importance of honouring those who served, fostering a deep sense of empathy and respect for those who have sacrificed their lives for their country.”
