Piper’s Lament for Remembrance Assemblies
Secondary pupils gathered in the Academy's courtyard where each of the five house captains laid a large petal to form a giant poppy around the centre spot. Principal Martin Campbell reflected on his own experiences in the Army and spoke to pupils about the calm before the storm of going into battle. He spoke about the fear that soldiers experience in the minutes leading up to the instruction to advance and the bravery it takes to face the gunfire that lies ahead. A piper then played a lament as pupils reflected on the sacrifices made by both those in the military and their families.
Pupil Rhys Alford said it was a moving assembly that gave them the opportunity to think about what servicemen and women have to go through. He said: "Mr Campbell's speech was very inspirational due to the fact that he's been there and done it. It was good to see the school showing its appreciation in this way and that the time was taken to do it so formally. Everyone was showing respect. A lot of people can relate to it if they have family members who have gone out and fought for us, so it's only right that we pay our respects." Jerryn Russell added: "These people have died for us so it's important to remember what they died for."
An assembly in the primary phase looked at what it means to remember something from the past - such as birthdays, Christmas and trips - and the things which help us remember those times. The role of the poppy was then explained to pupils as a way of remembering those who died and those who fought in wars. In class, pupils have been learning about Remembrance Sunday through poetry, pictures and documentaries and will be holding a silence at 11am on Monday.