IN June this year Mr Rose and Miss Davis took a group of year 10 history students – and a couple from Sixth Form – to France and Belgium.

The trip takes place every year and never fails to move the pupils, bringing home to them the reality of the First World War and the number of lives lost.

This year, however, was even more poignant and personal as, before they left, Mr Rose carried out some research into the names of the fallen soldiers which are engraved on the plaque that takes pride of place in the entrance to Sebright Block, commemorating old Wolverley students who lost their lives in the conflicts of the 20th century. He managed to locate a number of their graves and the students visited four of these in the Ypres and Somme regions and laid poppy wreaths on them.

Mr Rose had also commissioned a wreath which they took to The Somme and laid at the Thiepval Memorial. “This made the experience more moving for the students as they reflected that the young men who had died had actually been students at Wolverley – just as they are now,” he said.

On his return, Mr Rose set about arranging a display of photographs, taken on the trip, beside the Wolverley plaque in Sebright. He contacted Mrs Emma Griffin, secretary of the Old Wolverians Association, who expressed great interest in the display and explained that, every year on Remembrance Sunday, the Old Wolverians Association visit Wolverley and lay a wreath beside the memorial plaque.

Mrs Griffin suggested that this November the wreath-laying ceremony could be combined with some kind of service to dedicate the display, in which the history staff and students from the trip would participate. The students were very keen on the idea.

Year seven students created a display about the carpet industry in Kidderminster, now on display in Morrisons supermarket .

Year eight visited The Commandery in Worcester to find out what life was like during the English Civil War.

AS geography students had a four day trip to Wales, carrying out a variety of coastal and rural studies.

Year 10 students had three days in Portland on the South Coast to help them complete their GCSE coursework. They visited Chesil Beach, Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door.

Students from year eight visited Carding Mill Valley. Their studies were very “hands on” – to the extent that they all splashed into the river to record various aspects of water life. Thankfully it was a hot day!