Primary School pupils from Longton, Preston stage their own beach invasion as part of their war studies
Immersive learning has taken on a new meaning for pupils at a village school.
Youngsters at Longton Primary near Preston have spent the academic year ”wondering.”
They threw themselves into the topic and have been busy digging deep to learn as much as they could about the First World War to mark the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day.
Besides researching and learning about war, they spent a lot of time wondering what life would have been like in the battles.
The children also set about trying to find out what it was like after the fighting and attempting to understand what it was like for those left at home, what life was like when the soldiers returned home and also for the families of those who didn’t make it.
Headteacher Julie Brown said the project has provided many poignant moments for both staff and pupils.Among them was the creation of a remembrance garden in the school grounds.
The children have also had a chance to experience virtual reality First World war images, spent time at local museums examining exhibits, they had even had a visit from Sergeant Colours.
Some classes visited Stockport Air Raid Shelters while others performed an amazing World War production.Art week saw the youngsters decorating pebbles which were laid at the village war memorial.Mrs Brown said: “The year is certainly one that has created a great deal of understanding and ensured our brave soldiers shall not be forgotten.” She added that the The highlight or many was a whole school trip to Ainsdale beach. - where the children had a chance to test their own resilience.
The sun shone as children learned the hard way that digging trenches is no easy task.
Inspiration was taken from Danny Boyle's sand art – ‘pages of the sea’ and children created their own moments of remembrance and offer their own thanks.
Working in pairs, the children all added poppy art to the beach with the message ‘#There but not there’ as a tribute to the charity the school has supported this year.
The headteacher added: “Once the sea came in it took the poppies away – never to return. “A chilling reality of what happened all those years ago when our brave soldiers left our beaches and never came back.”