On 27 January, as part of our programme of events marking the National Year of Reading, we commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day 2026 with a powerful literacy-focused workshop and live webinar delivered in partnership with the National Literacy Trust.
A selected group of Year 9 students gathered in the Library, where Mrs Whitaker from the History department, alongside Mrs Lewis, our Librarian, welcomed students and set the context for the session. Mrs Whitaker provided a sensitive and well-judged introduction to the Holocaust, encouraging students to think beyond dates and facts and to consider the human experiences behind the history. Students were asked to reflect on the fear, uncertainty and loss faced by individuals and families, and to begin thinking about how stories and testimony help us to understand the past more deeply.
Students then joined a live webinar led by award-winning author Tom Palmer, who interviewed Ruth Barnett, a Holocaust survivor who escaped Germany to England on the Kindertransport in 1939. Students listened with real focus as Ruth spoke about leaving her parents at just four years old, the confusion and fear of her journey, and the crucial support she received from her brother. Many students were visibly moved by her story and commented on how powerful it was to hear first-hand testimony.
Throughout the webinar, students paused to record their questions, thoughts and emotional responses. This reflective writing helped them to process what they were hearing and demonstrated the importance of reading, listening and writing in subjects across the curriculum, including History, English and Religious Studies.
The session concluded with a shared reading of Part III of Five Words, describing the journey by train from Germany and arrival in England. Reading together allowed students to connect personal testimony with literature, deepening both understanding and empathy.
We were extremely proud of the maturity, sensitivity and engagement shown by our Year 9 students, and grateful for the opportunity to mark Holocaust Memorial Day through meaningful reading, reflection and discussion.
