“They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we shall remember them.”

Today, at 10.50am we started our 'safe' whole school Remembrance service and at 11am, Great Binfields Primary remembered.   

A year ago today, we met together as a whole school on our courtyard to pay our respects as part of Remembrance Day. Today I led the service by our courtyard flagpole and our children watched and listened via their classrooms.

I reminded our children that we met today to pay our respects once again on this special day 11^th November where millions across the world stop, reflect and say thank you. I explained why people wear a poppy as a special symbol. The paper poppies we wear on Remembrance Day are meant to represent the real poppies that grew in the battlefields of the First World War. After the battle of Somme in the First World War Soldiers returned to see the trenches covered in bright red poppies. I explained that on Remembrance Day we remember people who have suffered and died in wars as well as thank those that are serving our country and other countries now.  

I said that I hope we all commit ourselves to work together, that all people may, together, live in freedom, justice and peace. That we promise to think about all who in bereavement, disability and pain, continue to suffer the consequences of fighting and terror. We will remember with thanks and sorrow those whose lives, in world wars and conflicts past and present, have been given and taken away.

I shared a short reading which is part of a longer poem by Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)

“They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we shall remember them.”

Our whole school joined in and said:

We will remember them.

I explained that the First World War ended at 11 0’ clock during the morning on 11th November 1918 and this started a tradition of stopping, reflecting and staying silent at this time each year so that we can remember.

We then began the two-minute silence signalled by Giacomo and Lorenzo playing their trumpet followed by the ‘Last Post’. Our whole school was respectful during this time and the completion of the silence was signalled again by the boys and then by the playing of the ‘Reveille’. 

Thank you boys for the part you played and thank you Mr Quilter for lowering our special Remembrance flag during the 2 minutes silence. 

After this point for those that wanted to, joined in the Lord’s Prayer with me.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come;

thy will be done on earth

as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass

against us.

And lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom, the power,

and the glory

for ever and ever.

Amen

Our children then stood behind their chairs to listen and sing the National Anthem as well as listen to the hymn called 'Make me a channel of your peace' Teachers explained that you, our parents/carers would probably remember singing this hymn when you were at school yourselves. Here is the link if you would like to listen to it together as a family. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihhvm6eLWZI

I want to share with you all that your children were amazingly respectful throughout and we feel proud that we were all joining in something really special.

Thank you to Miss Lyddon for broadcasting this so our children could join in from their classrooms. Let's hope that next year we can resume our normal service of all meeting in the courtyard together.