Keep Calm and Carry On!

We kept calm when we discovered that, due to social distancing rules, visits to museums were not currently an option. Instead, we were determined to carry on and we did this with our very own immersive World War Two experience day on site. The children in year 5 were ‘evacuated’, following in the footsteps of those evacuated from our school, formerly known as Woottonley House, in 1940.

Dressed up in fantastic evacuee costumes, the children began the day with a quick news update from 14th October 1940. The BBC newsreaders Edith Allen and Herbert Mackenzie briefed the children on the international and local news of the day. The children then created gas masks, found out about rationing, practiced military-style Air Raid Drills, discovered how to put out incendiary bombs, heard local tales from Mr Burnett of the Home Front Bus team and spend a lovely afternoon ‘Digging for Victory’. The children wholeheartedly threw themselves into the experience (and the mud), making the most of every moment. Their only complaint was that we only had one Air Raid and they were hoping for more! They also really enjoyed their World War 2 lunches, which were so carefully produced by our kitchen staff. Carickle (carrot and pickle) sandwiches seem to be the new favourite! Who would have thought it?