Holocaust Beacon School

Woodhey is proudly a UCL Holocaust Beacon School

The Holocaust Beacon School programme, led by the University College London (UCL), is an educational initiative designed to empower schools in commemorating and teaching about the Holocaust, with a focus on promoting understanding, empathy, and critical thinking among students. Woodhey took part in the Holocaust Beacon School programme from April 2024 to January 2026, receiving its accreditation in January 2026, with feedback commending us for our "ambitious" and "admirable" Holocaust curriculum.

What does Holocaust Education look like at Woodhey?

Holocaust Education at Woodhey takes place both in lesson and outside of it. For your information, our Holocaust learning journey is included below.

Our Holocaust Curriculum

In addition to the opportunities above, Year 9 students engage in a depth study of the Holocaust across History and RE. Students spend 32 lessons exploring the narratives and testimonies of Holocaust survivors. As a Beacon School, we have taken the decision to make our lessons and schemes of learning free to access.

In History, students explore the rise of anti-Jewish racism (antisemitism), the pogroms and murders of the period, and the eventual prosecution of those responsible. UCL highlights the "strong sense of personal stories" and the "[wealth and] variety of testimonies that speak to diverse experiences" as key strengths of our History scheme of learning.

To view our History curriculum, click here

In RE, students undertake a depth study of life in the ghetto through the narrative thread of Chaim Mordecai Rumkowski and the choiceless choices he faced. The strength of this scheme lies in the "deep disciplinary conversations that relate strongly to the ethos [of respect and excellence] at Woodhey" (UCL, 2026).

To view our RE curriculum, click here

Our Output

In addition to contributing to conferences and leading and participating in CPD both for the Shaw Education Trust and outside of it, Woodhey has contributed the following written pieces to UCL:

If you would like to take advantage of our free CPD offer, please contact Francis McMahon or Adam Downing to discuss this further.

To view our Holocaust Memorial Day resources, click here

#HTFMEUS Ambassadors

Woodhey proudly runs a chapter of the Holocaust, Their Family, Me and Us Ambassadors Group in association with the Royal Wooton Bassett Academy (RWBA). This group runs on Thursday evenings. To learn more about the #HTFMEUS project, please visit https://www.htfmeus.co.uk/. Students interested in attending the group should contact Mr McMahon.