Ceremony of Remembrance and a two-minute silence at Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School on Armistice Day

Pupils at Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School, Barnet, held their own Remembrance Day ceremony on Armistice Day as part of an initiative to remind a younger generation of wartime sacrifices.

At a short service on the lawn outside the school, two pupils who are Air Cadets laid flowers beside two British Legion “Time to Reflect” silhouettes.

The last post was sounded on a French horn by Kayla before a two-minute silence to mark the end of World War One.

Inside pupils watched the transmission of the British Legion remembrance virtual assembly for schools across the country during which Prince William described to young people the importance of wearing a red poppy.

Headteacher Mrs Violet Walker welcomed pupils to the ceremony which she said reflected the courage of men and women who gave their lives and those who returned and carried the weight of war.

Before pupils read out two remembrance poems – For the Fallen (Laurence Binyon) and In Flanders Fields (John McCrae) – Mrs Walker explained that they symbolised gratitude and respect for those who stood firm in the face of unimaginable suffering.

She said it was the responsibility of future generations to ensure the stories, sacrifices and hopes for a better future for the world were never forgotten.

Kayla (15) who performed the Last Post on her French horn, is a member of the school orchestra.

She spent the evening before studying the piece. It was “very special” being asked to play at the ceremony – her first performance of The Last Post.

A remembrance service at the school – a first for QE Girls-– was the idea of associate assistant head teacher Mrs Amanda Campbell who wanted pupils to have their own experience of Remembrance Day and Armistice Day.

Mrs Campbell hopes the school ceremony will become an annual event.

See Above, from left to right: Air Cadet Lacey, who laid flowers; Alexandra, who read the first poem; Kayla (French horn); Amber, who read the second poem; Mrs Amanda Campbell; and Air Cadet Ria, who also laid flowers.