- County name: London
- Group/School name: Pimlico Primary
- Age group: 5 - 11
- Group type: Reception to Year 4
War Memorials Trust were pleased to return to Pimlico Primary in November 2017 following their first visit the previous year. During the visit our Learning Officer worked with each class from Reception up to year 4 before concluding with an assembly with the whole school. The sessions with each class ranged from a visit to the local war memorial to what are memorials and what is Remembrance depending on what the pupils had learned during the visit the previous year.
Our Learning Officer started the day with year 3. The session began in the classroom so the pupils could revisit what war memorials are and why they were created which was the main focus of their session in 2016. The pupils then visited the local war memorial at St Saviours Church on Lupus Street where they carried out a condition survey. The pupils’ observations were uploaded to War Memorials Online (www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/112033/) by our Learning Officer following the visit.
Over the course of the rest of the morning our Learning Officer spent time with both year 1 and both year 2 classes. These short sessions focused on what war memorials are and why we have them. The pupils had a selection of war memorial images which they looked at in small groups to generate discussion and support them in their understanding of the different types of war memorials. Local war memorials were then displayed to highlight some of the different types and also that some memorials are for a whole community whereas some are for an individual.
During the afternoon both Reception classes had sessions which helped them to understand Remembrance Day including what we remember and what people. This was put into context by first discussing what special days the children were already aware of including Bonfire Night, Halloween and birthdays.
The session with year 4 pupils who had visited the war memorial and carried out a condition survey the year before focused on why war memorials are important. Pupils were asked to consider the age of war memorials, why they were important when they were created and whether they thought they were still important today. They also found out about the work of the Trust and what young people are able to do to help look after war memorials.
The assembly at the end of the day focused on the First World War centenary and helped pupils to understand when the war took place, why we still remember it now, some of the events that have taken place during the centenary and the important of the 11th November 2018.
It was lovely to work with pupils from Reception up to year 4 and see how they all engaged with and took an interest in their war memorial heritage. Feedback from the school was positive and we hope to continue the visiting the school in years to come.
