Form 2 pupils embarked on a remarkable journey through history, experiencing life as wartime evacuees for the day at the Stibbington Centre. The immersive event transported the children to the 1940s, allowing them to step into the shoes of children evacuated to the countryside during World War II.
Reading about history is one thing, but living it—even for a day—makes an unforgettable impact.
It was a sunny May morning, when the train carrying the evacuees from Form 2 pulled into the platform at Wansford Station, Stibbington. The children were greeted by their billeting officers and walked across the fields to the village, seeing where they would be staying with their 'host' families on the way. When the children arrived at the school, they filled in their identity cards, practised their handwriting with ink pens and learnt some valuable lessons from the propaganda posters.
Their lessons were interrupted by the air raid siren and they had to decamp to the shelter, where they kept their spirits up by singing some popular wartime songs. When they returned to the classroom, the children were lucky enough to hear a broadcast from Princess Elizabeth on the wireless, encouraging them to keep their spirits up.
It wasn’t all hard work though; they had a playtime with some of the toys from the era and had wartime sandwiches for lunch.
The day provided a powerful educational experience, deepening the pupils' understanding of life during wartime Britain. Through role-playing and interactive tasks, students gained an appreciation of the resilience of wartime children, learning lessons of courage and adaptability that remain relevant today.
It really felt like I was living in the past, I never realised how difficult it would be to leave home and not know when I’d return.