BACK IN TIME: Year six pupils from Oakley Cross Primary School spent the day as evacuees as part of their Second World War topic work
BACK IN TIME: Year six pupils from Oakley Cross Primary School spent the day as evacuees as part of their Second World War topic work

YOUNGSTERS in West Auckland took a step back in time to experience life as a wartime evacuee.

Year six pupils at Oakley Cross Primary School spent the day as evacuees to help bring to life their history studies on the Second World War.

An air raid siren sounded as the group of 23 pupils left the school. Dressed as evacuees, complete with a name tag and bag, they were loaded onto a vintage London double decker bus courtesy of The Eden buses, in the village.

The children travelled to Witton-le-Wear railway station where they boarded a Weardale Railway train. They were then transported to Stanhope for a short stop at the station before returning to West Auckland.

The afternoon was spent doing history related activities in the community parish room at Monteith Close which was kindly loaned by West Auckland Parish Council.

Acting deputy headteacher, Craig Robinson, said: “It is all part of their World War Two topic. We thought it would be nice to give them an experience of being an evacuee. This will generate some writing work back in the classroom.

“The more we can recreate things the better. The whole idea is to inspire their learning.”