This year, six of our year 12 History students are taking part in the Lessons from Auschwitz programme, an educational and commemorative project run by the Holocaust Educational Trust that gives post-16 students the opportunity to learn about the Holocaust and consider its relevance for today. Already this term the students have engaged with online tutorials and spent time in Exeter listening to the moving story of Eva Clarke and her mother, both Holocaust survivors. Part of the project involves a one-day visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Poland.

Last Wednesday began very early for the students as we met at Exeter Airport before sunrise for the flight to Krakow. The visits to the memorial sites at Auschwitz and Birkenau were, as expected, solemn and deeply moving. Our students approached every part of the experience with respect, empathy, and thoughtful engagement. They listened carefully to the guides, asking insightful questions to help them understand the historical significance and human impact of what they were witnessing. Students will now continue with the course by completing their Next Steps, an opportunity for them to share what they have learnt and experienced with the school and wider community. Students will receive an ASDAN accredited certificate for their work and will become Ambassadors for the Trust too.

Our students conducted themselves impeccably throughout the entire day – from the early morning departure to the very late return home. Their maturity, sensitivity, and support for one another ensured the trip was both meaningful and memorable. Thank you to Jacob C, Scarlet C, Ana P, Ben B, Reuben C and Harry L. A special mention to Jacob for volunteering to take part in the memorial service at the end of the visit at Birkenau.