Norham High

Norham High leads the way to give pupils understanding of the Great War

As the education sector slowly wakes up to the impending centenary of the outbreak of the Great War in 2014, the Tynemouth project has already formed a multi-faceted partnership with Norham High School which will ensure that pupils from one of the parts of the borough which suffered the heaviest losses in the war will gain a full understanding of the impact of the war on the community in which they live today.

From initial contacts in the summer term of 2012/13 we have been looking to help the school teaching staff to prepare a fully- rounded programme of work which will be built into a week of the current school term and immerse over 400 pupils in the story of the war through all elements of the school curriculum examining the history, art, literature and music of the war as well as the physical aspects of the conflict. With an external specialist art practitioner who has already done some exciting work with pupils at Riverside School and members of a ‘military re-enactment’ group – Time Bandits – coming into the school, pupils will be able to learn about many aspects of the conflict both at home and at the Front. Everything from food in the trenches to handling military equipment and acting out daily routines will be combined to present a realistic and thoughtful series of class-based sessions but in an informal structure. Some pupils will have the opportunity to work on the design of an interpretation board to tell the story of a number of the 65 men of Preston (Ritson’s) colliery killed in the war and who have a memorial in Preston cemetery; shortly to be restored by North Tyneside Council as part of its commitment to ensuring that all the borough’s public war memorials are in as a good a condition as possible for the forthcoming centenary period. We hope that the board to be researched and designed by the pupils will (subject to funding) be manufactured and installed in time for the 90th anniversary of the unveiling of the memorial in June 1924.

New venue for Public lectures at Northumbria University

Due to unprecedented demand the project has been obliged to transfer ALL lectures from the Sutherland Building, Northumberland Road to the City Campus East site - Room 002, New Bridge Street, Newcastle, opposite the Manors Metro Station. (Charged parking is available).

The inaugural lecture to be given by Professor Sir Hew Strachan on Wednesday 9^th October is now fully subscribed. Places are still available for the further seven lectures, beginning on 13^th November at 6pm with Dr Martin Pugh who will speak on the role of women in the Great War.

If you have already registered for the lecture to be given by Professor Strachan you will receive a confirmation e-mail regarding the change of venue. You are advised to attend in good time to assist us in ensuring a prompt to start to what is already an acclaimed series of lectures.