By Mrs Martin (Head of Year 3)

On Monday, as we marked Holocaust Memorial Day, our Year 3 girls explored not only the historical significance of this day but also the lasting impact it has on our world today. Understanding the past, even at a young age, is essential in helping to build a future where kindness, respect and inclusion thrive.

To help the girls engage with this challenging topic, we started with the idea of "Imagine a world without..." - a thought-provoking exercise that encouraged them to consider what life would be like without kindness, fairness, or friendship. This led to a discussion about how discrimination and exclusion can deeply affect people and communities.

We then explored the Holocaust through age-appropriate sources, using visual storytelling and reflective discussion to introduce the importance of remembrance. The girls responded with a creative task: a ‘Missing: A World Without Kindness’ poster, imagining what would happen if kindness, diversity, and acceptance disappeared. Through their drawings and writing, they reflected on how standing up for others and showing empathy can help ensure that history does not repeat itself.

Despite the horrors of the past and the injustices that still exist in the world today, our discussions focused on hope and action. The girls considered how they, even as children, can be part of positive change: by including others, showing kindness, and being courageous in standing up for what is right.

This part of our Inquiry Exploring the past influences our future was not just about history; it was about the future. By remembering, reflecting, and learning, we empower our children to be the generation that ensures that hatred never has a place in their world.