Students from across Brookes gathered together to remember those who gave their lives during wars around the world, and celebrated the centenary of the Royal British Legion (RBL).

Senior, lower and nursery children joined teachers and other Brookes staff in a ceremony to mark the special centenary anniversary of the RBL Poppy Appeal, raising money for Armed Forces veterans. The Remembrance Day service last year was curtailed due to the pandemic.

A display of poppies made from recycled bottles (see image) were planted at the school, all of which were made by the children during their half term break. Speakers were brought in to listen to the Last Bugle before the silence, and readings were made by students and staff, including the John McCrae poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ read by two Year 9 students.

In the lead up to the day, the children have been learning about the RBL 100th anniversary, the Poppy Appeal and the importance behind wearing a poppy, as well as why we have a two-minute silence at 11am to remember the people who have died in wars around the world.

Head of School, Natalie Taylor was pleased with how the children understood the reasons behind the ceremony: “It is very important to remember those who have given their lives in the past, so we can live as we do now, and all the staff were delighted with how the children responded both during the ceremony and also in lessons around the topic.

“I was especially impressed with the way that our younger children behaved at the ceremony, and the respect shown by all concerned, including our boarders, some of whom come from different backgrounds overseas.”

The two-minute silence at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month (11:00 am, 11 November), as that marks the time when the armistice became effective in the UK.

Remembrance Day falls on November 11th each year, and marks the day World War One ended – at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month – in 1918. Remembrance Sunday is a day of celebration and awareness that takes place on the closest Sunday, including a special ceremony at the Cenotaph in London.

Read more about the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal here.