Year 9 students at The Wilnecote School welcomed a speaker from the Holocaust Educational Trust. As the daughter of a survivor, she shared her family’s testimony, bridging classroom history with real-life experience to enrich ongoing History and Religious Education lessons.

Year 9 students at The Wilnecote School were privileged to welcome a guest speaker from the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Next Generation programme.

As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, our visitor shared intimate family memories, giving students a moving insight into lived history. Year 9 students currently study the rise of Hitler in History and explore the Holocaust during Religious Education. Hearing directly from a survivor’s descendant helped bridge the gap between textbook lessons and real human experience.

Reflecting on the importance of the event, organiser Mrs Leary noted:

“Organising this visit allowed our students to connect with history on a personal level. Hearing how family memories are passed down gave everyone in the hall a far deeper understanding of why we must keep these stories alive.”

As time passes and the voices of firsthand survivors naturally grow quieter, family members play an increasingly vital role in ensuring these accounts continue to be remembered. Through this talk, our students discovered how personal stories preserve truth and tolerance across generations.

The presentation was followed by an engaging question and answer period. Our students asked thoughtful questions about how history shapes our modern world and how we can stand up against prejudice today. The event formed part of the Holocaust Educational Trust’s national Outreach Programme, which brings powerful educational experiences directly into classrooms across the UK.

Headteacher Mr Foskett expressed his pride in how the year group conducted themselves:

“Our Year 9 students demonstrated extraordinary maturity and respect throughout the presentation. Events like these remind us of how thoughtful and engaged our school family is when tackling complex global history together.”