Commemorating Courage: A Reflective VE Day at Prep
This week, our school community came together to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, remembering the sacrifice of those who brought peace to Europe. It was a truly special occasion filled with reflection, learning, and celebration across both our Senior and Prep Schools.
We proudly decorated the front of both schools, setting a poignant tone for the commemorations. Our VE Day celebrations officially kicked off with our Chapel and Music assemblies in Key Stage 2 and 1 respectively.
In the Key Stage 1 Music Assembly, pupils sang songs including “Peace Is Flowing Like a River”. This beautiful song speaks of peace, love, and hope spreading like a river, reminding us how calm and happy life can be when people care for one another. This message resonated deeply with the meaning of VE Day, when World War II ended in Europe and people were so thankful that peace had finally arrived.
The Key Stage 2 Chapel Assembly, led by Reverend McConnaughie, focused on the theme of working together as a team. We reflected on how people collaborated to bring peace to Europe after the war. The KS2 pupils sang “Amani, Upendo and Umoja,” which means peace, love, and unity – a perfect fit for the theme. Sophia P in Year 5 delivered read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 “One body but many parts”, explaining that every part of the body is important and different, just like every person is important. Revd Dr McConnaughie related this to VE Day and how numerous different people worked together to achieve peace.
To continue the celebrations, some of our Year 5 pupils helped Mrs Falco create chalk art in the playground. Having studied both Banksy and David Zinn in Art, it was fitting that the pupils used their newfound skills to create an eye-catching display on the playground. They collaborated on the outline, focused on placing colours for maximum impact, and thoroughly enjoyed the process.
At lunchtime, pupils helped decorate our Library with their own VE Day bunting. We also engaged in conversations about all things World War II, researching and creating book displays to encourage others to continue these important discussions. Our Holroyd Howe catering team joined in the celebration by providing a traditional British lunch and some delicious sweet treats.
Year 3 delved into the protocol during World War II, including what to do when a siren sounded, helping them understand the importance of VE Day. Through Inquiry in their PYP lesson, pupils led their own learning, gaining an understanding of what life was like during that time and how working and supporting each other helped bring about peace.
We were also incredibly moved to hear a story shared by Olivia and Lexi, great-granddaughters of Mr Davidson, who is 101 years old. Mr Davidson celebrated VE Day with his family and shared many of his experiences from the war. He served as a wireless operator on Halifax bombers and completed 30 missions. He described the moment of victory as a “wonderful feeling” and expressed immense relief that Europe was free. Mr Davidson emphasised the critical importance of remembering the sacrifices made and the sheer joy experienced on that historic day. We thank them for sharing his story with us.
We finish our week by celebrating with a Head of Prep Award for Nethya A in Year 6. Nethya has shown outstanding dedication and enthusiasm in her VEX Robotics work. Not only did she take the initiative to learn how to code, but she also chose to spend her own time outside of the robotics club to develop and write a custom programme for our robot. Her determination to improve her skills and contribute meaningfully to the team is truly commendable. Nethya’s independent effort and problem-solving ability reflect both her curiosity and passion for robotics and coding. Well done, Nethya. No doubt, were Nethya around during WWII she would have been a great help in the decoding of messages!
Looking ahead, we start next week in full performance mode with our Piano Music Showcase on Monday, with the event held at the Senior School. We also have our Year 6 production of Bugsy Malone on Wednesday and Thursday. From the sound of the rehearsals, we’ll be in for a treat and it will definitely be a highlight of the year for our Class of 2025 cohort.
Have a lovely and hopefully sunny weekend.
Alice Goodfellow
