Schools and organisations from all over Scotland feedback on Poppyscotland's Education Project.

Published on 12th Dec 2008

Schools and organisations from all over Scotland have been sending feedback on Poppyscotland's Education Project. This vital feedback will allow Poppyscotland to develop the project further in 2009.

"I found the materials that you send out to us very useful and great for teaching children about the significance of Remembrance Day. We used a lot of the materials to create our own Remembrance Day assembly. It would be great to get some similar materials again next year."

Lynette Knight, Teacher, Midmar Primary, Midmar

"We received your posters and DVD, we had an assembly based around these and a DVD of the First World War. We had a display of the posters in our entrance hall and we had a minutes silence at 11.00am on 11th November."

Jenny Stone, Head Teacher, Banff Primary, Banff

"Just to let you know We have over 280 P4-7 pupils and you could have heard a pin drop! It was just the right message to get across to our youngsters."

Liz Denney, Depute Head Teacher, Tannochside Primary School, Uddingston

"The DVD arrived in time for me to show the video to a congregation of just over 500 people. It made a big difference to the atmosphere and the depth of meaning to the service for both young and old. We had a number of dignitaries, local councillors and community representatives.

A small piece of history was made too. We managed to persuade church leaders from four other demonations to join us and to share in leading the service."

Rev. Stephen Emery, Parish Minister, Ellon Parish Church of Scotland, Ellon

"Our assembly was very respectful today. We played the last post at the end and all classes were silent for 2 minutes. Our display looked great too thanks to the posters you sent. Thank you very much for this."

Lyndsey Martin, Primary 6 Teacher, St Ninians Primary School, Dundee

"Today (11/11) we used the DVD resource at our special Remembrance event. Over 220 children from 5-11 years fell silent as we watched the images on Mat's Tribute: 7 minutes of deep reflection and everlasting thoughts. A sensitive and comprehensive educational resource that we will utilise on many occassions. Thank you to all involved in this production, a fitting tribute to all who give their lives for us."

Sandra McColgan, Deputy Head Teacher, Letham Primary, Perth

"Our school used the Sowing the Poppy Seed DVD and posters as part of our school remembrance assembly. It was an excellent resource thank you. We have also taken part in a variety of activities to mark the week prior to Remembrance Sunday. In an art lesson one of our classes made poppy tissue paper pictures. Our Primary 4 class and our nursery class made a trip to our village war memorial and took photographs to mark the event. Back in class Primary 4 then made collage pictures of our war memorial. Another class had their handwriting lesson focused on poems linked to remembrance day. We did of course have a whole school 2 minute silence at 11 o'clock on 11.11.08."

Elaine M. Ross, Class Teacher. Torphins Primary, Torphins

"We had a poppy collection in the week prior to Rembrance Sunday. We also had our minister give a special sermon and then watched part of the DVD along with a PowerPoint presentation. The DVD was excellent. We used it selectively as pupils ages range from 5 - 11. Everyone in school felt this was a very worthwhile lesson and showed lots of empathy with the subject."

Maureen Loose, Deputy Head Teacher, Kelburn Primary School, Largs

"Poppyscotland case study: Who we help and Mat's Tribute went down well in the secondary school. I used it in combination with a recording of a local First World War veteran."

James Davidson, Principal Teacher History, The Gordon Schools

"At Speyside High School a group of S5 students delivered a presentation to the whole school on the 11th November. At the end of this PowerPoint presentation there was a collection of war images with the The X Factor Hero song. This was followed by a lament from a piper and a short silence. The materials received from Poppyscotland were part of a display created outside the history department."

Patricia Dempsey, Principal Teacher History, Speyside High School, Aberlour

"We held two assemblies based on the meaning of the poppy related to its use around Rememberence Day. We also held a period of silence in the whole school at 11am on the 11th November."

Peter Wood, Head Teacher, Macduff School, Macduff

"The DVD and poster were a fantastic resource. I teach children between the ages of 8 and 9 and it can be very difficult to get them to understand why we have Remembrance Sunday. The children really responded to hearing the stories on the DVD and it helped get the message across to them. Thank you."

Laura Campbell, Teacher, Cultercullen Primary, Udny, Ellon

"We used the Poppyscotland materials at upper assembly prior to eighteen of our children attending a Remembrance ceremony at the local war memorial. Each child 'planted' a wooden cross in memory of each of the thirty six local men who died in conflict."

Fiona Leighman, Head Teacher, Craighead Primary, Milton of Campsie

"My name is Rebecca Anderson, I am 10yrs old. I wrote this poem for my school after learning about Rememberance Day. We held a 1 minute silence to remember all those who had died. I hope you like the poem."

This is a Poem for the soldiers that died, Wanted freedom and gave up their lives, 1 minutes silence, bow down our head, And thank the soldiers, who now are dead, Thank the soldiers and the troops, Who went around fighting in groups, Show your poppy, say "Thank you" aloud, The poppy's the sign to be free and proud.

Rebecca Anderson (10), Primary School Pupil, Leith Primary School, Edinburgh

"The Posters are very eye-catching and provide good stimulus for discussion with older Primary pupils. The DVD is more suited to secondary level as I felt some of the content wasn't suitable for Primary. Our school collected a reasonable amount of money following an assembly presentation by having the collection tin on the Tuck Trolley, which visits every class daily. The posters were displayed on the citizenship board in the main hallway of the school. More materials suited to lower classes would be helpful."

Julie Blackburn, Principal Teacher and Citizenship Co-ordinator, Saracen Primary School, Glasgow

"Our class held a WW2 assembly for the rest of the school which was based around the WW2 topic which we had been studying and Remembrance Day. We also held an open afternoon for the parents to come in and see all of the work which we had been doing based on WW2. The whole school held a 2 minutes silence at 11am on 11/11 and the P7s took poppies to all of the classes in time for rememberance day."

Gillian Durie, Teacher, Lenzie Moss Primary School, Lenzie

"I showed parts of the DVD to my P3 class. They were most engaged with the information from the Poppyscotland factory, but the stories of people helped were not easily understood so we only watched one. I had to summarise to bring it to their level, but it was important for the children to realise that there are other 'hurts' than being killed in a war. They all bought poppies. Many attended the town's Remembrance service and told parents about what they'd seen. On the Tuesday we did a minute's silence, I showed my grandad's wartime helmet and read an extract from Michael Morpurgo's book 'The best Christmas present in the world'."

Helen Creber, Principal Teacher (Early Stages), Mortlach Primary School, Dufftown

"Primary 7 pupils enjoyed watching the DVD and teachers felt it was appropriate for this age range. The Mat's Tribute clip was particularly poignant and made them think about the need for the poppy campaign. Primary 7 pupils had the responsibility of visiting classrooms with the poppies for donations and on Remembrance Day, 12 pupils attended the local War Memorial for the 11 o'clock service. In school all pupils observed the silence at 11 o'clock."

Katherine McRitchie, Teacher, Applegrove Primary, Forres

"Please find enclosed a cheque for £150.00 which our class raised by making a DVD about The Home Front and Remembrance. We have also enclosed a copy of the DVD as we used lots of the information from the wonderful Poppyscotland DVD you sent us. We have learnt a huge amount about the importance of the Poppy Appeal and thank you very much for sending all the information to our school."

Sharon Whiteman and Owen Reid, Primary 7 pupils, Kingussie Primary, Kingussie, on behalf of all members of Primary Seven and Mrs A Thom, class teacher

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