THE end of the First World War is marked annually on the 11^th of November and to commemorate it, our communities remember those who lost their lives in this war as well as all the ones that followed. A day to reflect on loss, sacrifice and peace.

Pupils and staff at Thornhill Park School commemorated this important date in a variety of ways. Learning about the meaning of the different coloured poppies was a highlight of our commemorations as the school was covered in handmade red, purple, white and black poppies to remember all those who fell during those difficult times.

Cooking wartime recipes was another way in which engaged with the date: Ration Scones and Wartime Carrot Cake. Reflecting on the difficulties of rationed meals allowed our pupils to understand the importance of peace. Other pupils cooked delicious biscuits in the shape of poppies, the most important symbol of this day.

Another way in which pupils engaged with the date was by having Remembrance themed Travel Training and Community Inclusion lessons: visiting the Tommy Statue in Seaham and shopping for rationed ingredients for Cookery allowed pupils to understand the importance our communities place on this day.

Different lessons were also Remembrance themed: poppy sums and reading comprehension of Remembrance poetry allowed pupils to engage with the event without missing out on reinforcing crucial Literacy and Numeracy skills. pupils also familiarised themselves with different Remembrance concepts such as peace, war, soldier, poppy and ration and learnt how to use Makaton to express these concepts in inclusive ways.

On a sensory level, pupils explored poppy seeds and participated in their own 2 minutes of silence by watching a stimulating and relaxing animation video of how the battlefields felt for their animal inhabitants.

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