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Powerful Message of the Holocaust

A-Level history students led assemblies on the Holocaust and the dangers of discrimination and prejudice.

In February, two sixth formers - Colleen Denning and Rebecca Tailby - visited the former Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz. As part of the programme, they had to look at ways of spreading the message of tolerance on their return to school.

Courtney Morson, Tayler Mason and Tom McCartin volunteered to help with the assemblies which delivered a hard-hitting message.

Each house was divided into boys and girls - students were then told that there had been a problem with KSA's new building and that there were not enough classrooms for all of them. They were then informed that only people with blue eyes or blond hair would move on to the new build or those who were physically healthy, based on attendance rates. The group was then told that some students from years 9, 10 and 11 would also join them, but to help build the new classrooms instead of receiving an education.

History teacher Emma Caunt, (pictured left) who organised the Auschwitz trip, said: "We then told them that of course, this wasn't the case but in history, selections were made based on people's physical features and health, especially in Nazi Germany. We played a video about the Holocaust and how it started with people being rounded up in the 1930s, ending with Hitler's idea of the Final Solution. We then read testimonies of Holocaust survivors.

"It got students talking - in my lessons it provoked a lot of questions and they were interested to know more."

Courtney said: "I think it's important that we keep the message alive among young people."

The next step will see students create a social charter that they will sign up to or produce a handprint for, signalling a commitment to respect one another.