A project for thousands of state school pupils to visit battlefields is among the educational initiatives that are commemorating the 100th anniversary of the First World War.
The Institute of Education and STS School Travel Service were the successful bidders to deliver the £5.3m project.
Jointly funded by the Department for Education and the Department for Communities and Local Government, the project is providing opportunities for two pupils from every state funded secondary school in England to participate in battlefield tours of the Western Front from spring 2014 to March 2019.
Pupils will be able to undertake research on people local to their school who fought in the First World War. Providing an enduring legacy, the high quality educational project will strengthen participants’ knowledge of the First World War, and give opportunities to develop related projects in their local communities.
Community Secretary Eric Pickles said:
We have a duty to educate future generations about the First World War to ensure that the role our Armed Forces played, and continue to play, in defending the liberties we take for granted today are remembered.
Then Education Secretary Michael Gove said:
The First World War touched every village and town in Britain. Millions served and almost 900,000 United Kingdom subjects died in action. The loss to this country and to countless families was unimaginable and must not be forgotten. That is why it is important that a new generation should be encouraged to remember the sacrifice of so many.
- Visit the government’s official First World War centenary website: www.gov.uk/ww1centenary.
- Find out more about how you can get involved by visiting: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/how-you-can-get-involved
