The day also saw all the pupils dressed in red, white and blue or red, white and gold to pay a patriotic homage to their island home.
‘We’re trying to keep local history alive,’ said Year 4 teacher Nicola Barton.
‘We’ve done a display for them and we’ve had a special assembly where we’ve talked about a child from this school who was evacuated. Days like this really bring the history to life.
‘The children have been incredibly thoughtful and curious. They’ve been asking deep questions about personal stories and reflecting on why Liberation Day remains the most important date on our communal calendar.’
The arrival of the military vehicles in the afternoon saw the students eager to fully engage with the physical remnants of history, taking turns to climb in the vehicles where soldiers would once have sat.
‘It’s really fun,’ said 9-year-old Mollie Boatwright-Smith.
‘I think the best bit is coming out here to see the vehicles.’
Her classmate, 8-year-old Juno Bamford, was equally enthusiastic.
‘It’s fun to see vehicles from so long ago,’ she said.
While good entertainment, students also said that the day had held some educational value for them as well.
‘We’ve been learning about a long time ago – about the war and being evacuated,’ said Zane Knowles Ahmed, 9.
Classmate Toby Moulin added that the interactive day had been more engaging than a typical lesson.
‘Sometimes history can be really boring but this is fun,’ he said.
Some of the pupils visited the Jubilee Social Club, bridging the generational gap by talking to members about their memories of the Occupation and the joy of Liberation in 1945.
The day ended with Liberation discos for every year group, organised by the PTA.
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