School of thought

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I n T h e P r e s s

Radclyffe students created poignant display to remember the fallen.

Year 7 students wrote their thoughts on conflict and the sacrifices made on paper poppies and wreaths. The display, which also includes historic newspaper front pages, photographs of local soldiers and information about the Royal British Legion was the backdrop for yesterday’s two-minutes si-lence at the Chadderton secondary.

Year 8 students also got an insight into life in the trenches during the First World War. They tried on infantry uniforms and were put through their paces during workshops with historical expert Jason King.

A P P E N D I X 6

A High Performing Specialist School

CASE STUDY

Focus of case study:

Remembrance Day- November 11th 2014

School profile

Key factors that motivated the intervention:

Remembrance Day is a national event that has taken place in the UK since the Poppy Appeal began in 1921. It is a national event, made even more important this year, as

it is the 100 year anniversary. Remembrance Day is relevant to anyone regardless of age, gender, race or background.

Brief description of the intervention:

• Whole School Activities- Assemblies which raised the awareness of Remembrance Day were delivered to all year groups the week prior to

November 11th. These assemblies were delivered by SLMT and included presentations which raised awareness of the past and present conflicts and the

impact that these had/have on communities. Students learned about the importance of respecting those who have died in present and past conflicts

serving their country. The same assembly/ppt was then delivered to staff during a Friday Feeling session and they were asked to reflect on why remembrance is

important to them. • Whole School Activities- Displays a central display on Level 2 was created.

This included huge posters with images, newspaper articles, poppies/bunting with student contributions on, pots with Remembrance crosses/other religious

symbols and messages on. This was in a prominent position in the school for all to read and reflect. The comments and images developed the awareness of

different conflicts and their impact and led to students discussing what they saw

with their peers. •

Examples of the displays in school

which encouraged students to look,

discuss and reflect.

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• Lesson Activities- All History lessons at KS3 and KS4 focussed on

Remembrance Day. Students were given a background of events and an overview of WW1 and the problems that the soldiers in the trenches faced.

Each student was then asked to reflect and complete a wreath/bunting/poppy. Explicit links to literacy were made here and key words: grit, grievance, glory,

greatness and gratitude were discussed. The individual poppies were then placed on the display (glass panels), so that all could see what we at The

Radclyffe School will remember on November 11th.

• Soldiers on Staff Doors- All members of staff were given a soldier with the

same surname as them to display on their doors. Students were encouraged to

look at these and discussions arose linked to the ages, ranks and areas the soldiers came from.

• Students letters/diaries on the doors- On all classroom doors, there was a

letter/diary that a Year 8 student had written about trench life. 100 in total, to reflect on the number of years that had passed. A quiz was then distributed to

students, to encourage them to read the letters/diaries. The questions focused on developing Historical and literacy skills.

• Year 8 Artefact Day- All Year 8 students participated in an Artefact handling

session led by expert Jason King. This involved learning following the story/experiences of a soldier during war, learning how to drill. Students were

given the unique opportunity to evaluate primary evidence, ask questions and try on soldiers and civilians clothing. They analysed battlefield artefacts (e.g.

shells, shrapnel) and gained an indepth understanding of how the Empire troops

contributed to the war. In addition, they understood the impact that war had on the Home Front.

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• Two minutes silence- A very important time, when all staff and students

assembled in the Street and Level 2/3 in order to reflect on those who had fought and lost their lived. This began with drums sounding to inform staff to

bring students out of their classes. ‘In Flanders Field’ poem was read over the tannoy by a student, a wreath was then laid by the Head Boy and Head Girl,

Last Post was played by the Head of Music, two minutes silence began, nimrod was played to signal the end of the silence and then the students returned to

classes. Staff also had the opportunity to watch the silence whilst it was being streamed onto the screens.

Outcomes: Increased awareness of Remembrance Day.

During lessons the morality of warfare was discussed and students comments were thoughtful and revealed an indepth understanding of why it is so

important to respect and remember those who have died. Eye-catching wall displays for all to reflect upon.

Positive publicity for the school, as media coverage of the Remembrance DAt events occurred in the newspaper and on the local radio.

Future plans: Whole School Assemblies, displays and lessons will continue 2015.

We aim to involve more students in activities prior the silence. We aim to involve/invite British Legion and external agencies in during the

silence.

A High Performing Specialist School

CASE STUDY

Focus of case study:

Holocaust Memorial Day 27th January 2014-Journeys.

School profile

Key factors that motivated the intervention:

HMD is a national event that has taken place in the UK since 2001. HMD is relevant to anyone regardless of age, gender, race or background. It is a time for communities to

join together, remember their past and make neighbourhoods stronger and safer.

Brief description of the intervention:

• Whole School Activities- Assemblies which raised the awareness of HMD

were delivered to all year groups the week prior to HMD. These assemblies were delivered by SLMT and included presentations which raised awareness of

the Holocaust and other Genocides- for example Rwanda, Bosnia, Cambodia and Darfur. Students learned about the importance of respecting those with

different beliefs and cultures and read about what our responsibility is ‘to remember those who were persecuted and murdered, because their lives were

wasted’ and our challenge is ‘to make the experience and words of the victims and survivors of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides a meaningful part of

our future’. (Please see attached sheets for a copy of the ppt delivered to the students)

• Whole School Activities- Displays huge posters with images, facts and figures and large banners were placed throughout the school for all to see/read

and reflect upon. These developed the awareness of different Genocides and their impact led to students discussing what they saw with their peers and

commenting on why war and the genocides and persecution of people is wrong

and should not be tolerated. • Lesson Activities- All History lessons at KS3 and KS4 focussed on the theme

for this years HMD-Journeys. Students were given a background of events and an overview of the different genocides that have occurred. Each student was

then given information about a Genocide and was asked to reflect upon this and make a pledge to the future on an outline of their hand. Every student then

read out their statement and placed in on a class letter. The individual letters were then placed on the glass panels in the school so that all could see what we

at The Radclyffe School Pledge to do in the future.

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Outcomes: Increased awareness of different Genocides throughout different eras and

involving different races. Students discussed the impact of Genocides and developed a greater awareness of different cultures, how and why these had

been persecuted.

During lessons the morality of genocides were discussed and students pledges were thoughtful and revealed an indepth understanding of why it is so

important to respect other people, their beliefs and cultures and not t stand back and let people be discriminated against.

Eye-catching wall displays for all to reflect upon. Positive publicity for the school, as media coverage of the HMD events occurred

in the newspaper and on the local radio.

Future plans: New Focus: for Holocaust Memorial Day 2014. HMD 2015

Whole School Assemblies, displays and lessons will focus on the new

theme for 2015. Year 8 students have all produced a diary account on life in a ghetto

and these will be placed on classroom doors around the school for all to read.

Examples of the

displays in school which encouraged

students to look, discuss and reflect

on genocides.