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Pupils at Our Lday of Hartley Catholic Primary School become authors

Pupils have become published authors thanks to a unique project to celebrate the centenary of the First World War.

Children at Our Lady of Hartley Catholic Primary School in Carmelite Way, Hartley, have written about the experiences of those involved in the conflict.

It is hoped the Kindle eBook, published on Amazon last week, will raise money for an author to visit the school, while 10% is donated to War Child - a charity for children affected by conflict.

Edward, 8, Sophie, 8, Daniel, 9, and Annabel, 10 in front of their First World War display
Edward, 8, Sophie, 8, Daniel, 9, and Annabel, 10 in front of their First World War display

Favourites include Jacqueline Wilson, David Walliams and Michael Morpurgo.

The project, led by literacy coordinator Miss Donna Drumm, and year one teacher Mr Andrew Baldock, combines both history and English for an all-round learning experience.

The school’s youngest pupils, aged between four and five, were tasked with writing Christmas cards to soldiers in the trenches.

Those in Year 1 wrote from the perspective of animals, such as dogs trained to help wounded men on the battlefield.

In Year 2, the aim was to complete an acrostic poem, while children in year four each composed a Haiku - a traditional form of Japanese poetry.

Older students wrote flashback and narrative stories.

Sophie, eight, with the front cover of Our Lady of Hartley's First World War centenary eBook
Sophie, eight, with the front cover of Our Lady of Hartley's First World War centenary eBook

Year four pupil Sophie, eight, said that while some of her class found writing a Haiku “a bit tricky”, she has enjoyed the experience.

She added: “In the First World War, if you were older, then at a certain age you had to go.

“It made me feel a bit sad, but I’m glad we did the book.”

Nine-year-old Daniel, who is in Year 5, said his class had considered a range of perspectives while creating their flashback pieces.

This included what life was like for someone in the trenches, what it felt like to leave home, and the emotions of those left behind.

Year 6 pupil Annabel, 10, said: “In class we were doing dual narrative stories from the perspective of different family members, getting the emotive feelings across.

“I chose to write mine from the perspective of a daughter and father, and enjoyed learning about the war.”

Literacy coordinator Miss Drumm, said the project was a special way of commemorating the centenary of the Armistice. She added: “It’s very important for them to learn about history, and it’s nice to have a physical book too.”

To buy a copy of We Remember, click here.

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