Next year will mark 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War and in the following years services and ceremonies will take place at war memorials across the country to mark events of national, regional and local significance. At the heart of many events will be school pupils, attending to pay their tribute.

But do pupils fully understand what our war memorials represent and why it is important to preserve them? War Memorials Trust is the charity that works for the conservation and protection of war memorials in the UK. As well as providing advice on conservation issues and assisting with war memorial repairs through our grant schemes, the charity runs a Learning Programme to educate young people in schools and youth groups about the history and significance of war memorials.

The Learning Programme’s website, www.learnaboutwarmemorials.org, contains a range of lesson plans, assemblies and information and activity sheets for both primary and secondary schools. These have been trialled in schools and promoted by the Guardian and Times Educational Supplement, receiving excellent feedback. Our lessons deal with topics such as researching the names of those commemorated on war memorials, studying the designs of some of the UK’s memorials and examining the issues faced by thousands of communities who, in the aftermath of war, created war memorials as a permanent tribute to their fallen. By focusing on these issues, pupils develop valuable research and source handling skills, and uncover the fascinating personal stories of those that served in conflicts past and present.

Through these resources we hope that learning about Remembrance and war memorials can be integrated into the curriculum all year round, not simply confined to November.

For further information contact:

Visit www.learnaboutwarmemorials.org.

Or contact:

Ruth Cavender, War Memorials Trust's Learning Officer,

[email protected]