Year 9 students took a trip to the National Memorial Arboretum last week, where they participated in a Holocaust Heroes Explorer Day, organized as part of their L4L theme, ‘Tragedy’.

Focusing on World War II, the theme allowed students to examine the impact of war on civilians, including moral dilemmas and the impact of the final solution.

The trip provided students the opportunity to pay their respects at the memorials featured in the Arboretum, which symbolise historical events such as the Dresden and Coventry bombings, the evacuation of British children during the war and the devastating loss of Jewish lives during the Holocaust.

This included classroom sessions where students researched and discussed inspirational heroes from the time of the Holocaust, allowing them to explore and discuss moments of positivity, hope and courage that can occur during times of tragedy and suffering. Driving the theme question: ‘How can tragedy be interpreted differently?’.

Despite the intermittent rain, students made the most out of their visit to the Arboretum, offering important contributions and discussions. The day provided a valuable addition to their education, helping to deepen their understanding of the complex and important themes they have been studying.