INSPIRED by the poppy display at the Tower of London Winchester schools have staged their own variations of remembrance.

Hundreds of children across the district paid tribute to the fallen seeing an array of poppies – ceramic, paper and wreaths – laid out at halls and playgrounds.

Prince’s Mead School children had been forging and firing their own poppies in the weeks leading up to the 11th hour of the 11th day at the school’s new kiln. They were then sprayed and planted on the lawn in front of the school’s portico.

Head boy Edward Bence and head girl Sophie Braakenburg planted the last two poppies followed by the school’s homage to the ‘Glorious Dead’ with a two-minute silence.

Laura Thomas, head of art, who planned and organised the project, said: “I was touched to see how many of the children went home and asked their parents and grandparents about WW1. They found out about their grandparents and great grandparents' involvement and the sacrifices that many of them had made during those years.

“In keeping a 'living memory' alive and reminding this generation of the need to respect and remember the sacrifice made by those fallen heroes, Prince's Mead has honoured the message which informed the original poppy memorial at the Tower of London ‘Why should we remember?’.”

All 400 children at Weeke Primary School led a provoking assembly to create their own version of London’s installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red.

Deputy head teacher, Abby Goodchild, said: “Children have also been fundraising on behalf of the Royal British Legion and Help for Heroes. We would like to thank Belinda Mildenhall, Beth King and Emma Swift for their support with the project.”

For children at Westgate School it was a day-and-a-half of remembrance learning all about life during WW1 in the build up during one of their deep learning days.

Geography teacher and ex-servicemen Jonathan Parrott led the school in a smaller version of the ceremony conducted at the Royal Albert Hall.

“It was fantastic,” he said. “It’s one of the most moving services I’ve ever been to. It was really important to understand what happened 100 years ago and what’s still happening today.”

At Kings’ secondary school, Rev Neil Birkett led a service of hymns, prayers and readings attended by old boys of its forerunner, St Thomas’s.

Children read diary extracts recalling their trip to the battlefields in Tyne Cot, Belgium last month. More than 100 Kings’ pupils travel to the fields every year.

Year 9 pupil Yelena Bennett told the service: “A silence fell upon us and the atmosphere quickly changed at the realisation of how many soldiers perished. Behind every single name there were family and friends who had cared and loved this person.

“To us, war seems so far away, and nothing for us to worry about. We know the facts and figures from history class, but these are just numbers.”

After two minutes’ silence the old boys laid wreaths bearing the names of former pupils who fell in war.

Tony Dowland, of the St Thomas’s Old Boys Association, said: “We’ve been coming here for 20 years, and they are so committed to what they do in terms of Remembrance that you can only admire the dedication that goes in from the teachers and the parents.”