CRANBOURNE students and staff got together, talked to family and friends, carried out research and created a memorial to those in our community who were in any branch of the armed services during any conflict.

Students were able to match some of the surnames on Basingstoke’s war memorial to the surname of current school members. As one student said “We are lucky to be here and it’s only because our grandfathers made it home!”

As the facts emerged, the life stories of these ordinary yet amazing people began to come together. We talked about the number of relatives who had been boys and joined up underage to fight in World War 1 and acts of selfless bravery like the relative of one member of staff who had died trying to save others on the battlefield.

Ava Pearce in Year 8 explained that: “We made this wall to remember people who helped out in any war in lots of different ways.”

To celebrate the end of World War I, Cranbourne also decided to do a poppy display outside.

Students created acetate poppies in their tutor groups to go on the feature outside of reception just like the display at the Tower of London and the Imperial War Museum. The design we made was secured by camouflage netting that holds up the poppies. This display has been created to show our respect to all the soldiers who fought for the lives we have today.

Alongside this, many students were wearing poppies for the anniversary of World War I in 1914-1918.

By Lauren Nash, Erin Dalton and Chloe Backer