Woodhey proudly commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day with a rich and carefully planned programme of learning, reflection and remembrance. Across the week, students and staff came together to explore the history of the Holocaust, to consider themes of memory and inheritance, and to reflect on the responsibility we all share to remember the past and challenge prejudice in the present.
Through a dedicated series of lessons across the humanities faculty, a whole-school drop-down day on Tuesday involving every subject, assemblies throughout the week, the launch of our #HTFMEUS group, and representation at Bury’s Holocaust Memorial event, Holocaust Memorial week has been a week to remember.
Learning Through Stories, Artefacts and Memory
In History and RE, students explored the lives of individuals whose experiences help us to understand the human reality behind historical events. By studying figures such as Fred Lessing, Anne Frank and Ruth Rogoff, students examined not only personal stories of survival and loss, but also the artefacts and testimonies these individuals left behind. These lessons encouraged students to think deeply about memory, evidence and the importance of preserving personal histories. Geography lessons focused on the physical spaces of the Holocaust, exploring sites of persecution and killing and examining how landscapes themselves can hold memory. Students reflected on how places are shaped by history and how memorials and preservation play a role in remembrance.
Cross-Curricular Engagement and Creative Reflection
Like last year, this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day was marked by a whole-school drop-down day, during which every subject contributed to the shared themes of memory, inheritance and responsibility.
In Food, students discussed how food can hold powerful cultural and personal memories before baking traditional Jewish challah bread, using the process as a way to connect heritage, tradition and remembrance. English lessons focused on the analysis of poetry, allowing students to explore how writer’s express trauma, memory and resilience through language. In Spanish, students examined the theme of “honrando a las víctimas del Holocausto y conectando generaciones”.
Science lessons explored the testimony of Holocaust survivor Olga Kay, encouraging students to engage with survivor voices and consider how scientific inquiry and ethical responsibility intersect. In Design Technology, students were tasked with designing and creating a 3D memorial, prompting thoughtful discussion about symbolism, form and how we choose to remember.
Exploring Memory
Other subjects approached Holocaust Memorial Day through a thematic lens, demonstrating how ideas of memory and inheritance can be explored in diverse and unexpected ways.
In Maths, students considered how mathematical knowledge and understanding are passed down through generations. PE explored sports played by the elderly, with students taking part in walking football, linking physical activity to empathy and understanding across generations. Computing lessons investigated different types of computer “memory”, including ROM and RAM, encouraging students to think metaphorically about how information is stored, accessed and preserved. In Art, students designed memorial flames on their iPads, producing thoughtful and personal responses to the theme of remembrance. Music lessons explored Klezmer music as a form of cultural memory, while Drama students discussed inheritance through The Seven Ages of Man, reflecting on the passage of time and shared human experience.
Assemblies, Community and Student Leadership
Throughout the week, assemblies reinforced key messages of Holocaust Memorial Day, encouraging reflection on the dangers of hatred, discrimination and indifference. We were also proud to launch our #HTFMEUS group, giving students a platform to engage further with theme of remembrance. Throughout the year, our core group of Holocaust Ambassadors will explore Noemie’s story. More information about #HTFMEUS and Noemie can be found here: #HtFMeUs - Noemie's Journey.
A particular highlight of the week was the speech delivered by two outstanding Year 10 students at Bury’s Holocaust Memorial event. Billy and Yvie have been rehearsing for the memorial event since October, and on Thursday evening – at an event attended by parents, teachers, members of the community, and our very own Chair of Governors, they delivered heartfelt readings to commemorate the murdered generation. Their contribution represented the school with dignity, empathy and maturity, and demonstrated the powerful impact of student voice in acts of remembrance. We are so incredibly proud of Billy and Yvie for the months of effort they have put in to planning and rehearsing this event. We could think of no better students to represent our school at this event.
A Week to Remember
Holocaust Memorial Week at Woodhey High School was a collective effort. We are incredibly proud of the commitment, creativity and sensitivity shown by both staff and students, all of whom worked together to ensure the week was meaningful, educational and reflective. By engaging with history, memory and inheritance across the curriculum, our community has honoured the victims of the Holocaust and reaffirmed the importance of remembering the past in order to shape a more compassionate and just future.
