The School took part in several Remembrance events in November 2018 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armistice in 1918 that signalled the end of the First World War. A two-minute silence was observed at both Byron House and Senior House to commemorate those who fought, and died, in this War and in conflict since this time, signalled by Last Post played by two of our pupils.
Year groups across both sites created art works in response to events that happened during the First World War, culminating in an art trail at Senior House and a mural of relatives of St John’s families who served in this War, as well as striking art and poetry displays at Byron House. Forms 2 and 3 created vibrant poppies from hessian and wire and also clay, glaze and acrylic paint. Form 4 made carrier (or homing) 'pigeons' from 90% recycled or thrown away materials. During the art trail, the children discovered that the soldiers used these birds to send messages back to England carrying important strategic information. One Form 3 child remarked, “Looking at the drawings of life in the trenches made me realise how awful the conditions were for soldiers and how they faced a daily struggle to survive and have the courage to ‘go over the top’.
The Quiet Garden saw a blaze of colour with Sixth Form’s balsa wood Dazzle ships. These designs became iconic as part of the 20th century Art and Design as painters used geometric shapes and optical illusions in their work. The Sixth Form visited Imperial War Museum Duxford as part of their cross-curricular studies of the First World War. They responded to the exhibits by creating large-scale drawings using charcoal and pencil. The children were asked to consider what emotions they would attach to each drawing and why. Wartime songs and poetry also marked a poignant part of the Assemblies that took place across the school.
