THOUSANDS of schoolchildren across Wyre Forest paid homage on Remembrance Day to those who sacrificed their lives in the two world wars and later conflicts.

Schools belonging to the Severn Academies Educational Trust took part in various wreath-laying services in their playgrounds, halls and local churches.

At The Stourport High School and Vlth Form College, the whole school filed onto the artificial sports pitch as student representatives laid wreaths and poppies at their own mini-Cenotaph made by DT teacher Zoe Kenrick.

After the Last Post sounded at 11am on Monday, students and staff held a two-minute silence along with special guests Stourport town councillors Ingrid and Tim Schmeising-Barnes, chair of governors Polly McMeeking, secondary education director Matthew Carpenter and director of personal development, wellbeing and belonging Adrian McLean from the Severn Academies Educational Trust.

At the trust’s Baxter College, the Combined Cadet Force led the Remembrance Service with a wreath-laying ceremony at their memorial, which was streamed to classrooms so all students could take part. The Last Post was played by teaching assistant Beth Taylor and science teacher Andrew Macpherson gave the address.

The trust’s primary schools also took part in a variety of acts of Remembrance, including a pupil-led service at St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School, Stourport.

Year 5 pupils at Hartlebury CE Primary School made a wreath which was placed on the village war memorial outside St James Church, where Year 6 children took part in the Remembrance Service and read out the names of the fallen soldiers from the area as well as placing crosses in their honour at the foot of the memorial.

Scouting and Guiding pupils at Wilden All Saints CE Primary School wore their uniforms for the school’s service at All Saints Church. Retired headteacher Nic Harvey told the children about the history of the village’s war memorial and read out the names of Wilden’s fallen heroes.

Commemorations at Wolverley Sebright Primary Academy included Year 6 pupils taking part in a workshop learning all about the Second World War and, like in many schools, poppies were sold in aid of the Royal British Legion.

Along with the playing of the Last Post and a two-minute silence, children at Far Forest Lea Memorial CE Primary Academy shared poems they had written about Remembrance. They also looked at the meanings behind each of the coloured poppies – including purple poppies brought in by a pupil for her class to remember the animals during wartime.