Windy Nook: a school and community at War
1914-1918
WW1 Project and its Legacy
At Windy Nook Primary we have always valued the history of our locality, so we are delighted to announce that we have been awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund First World War; then and now grant to help us investigate Windy Nook: A School and Community at War 1914-18.
In 1914 the village was a still a distinct Edwardian community, ‘occupying’, according to Whellan’s 1894 Directory, ‘an elevated and exposed position’ within Felling Parish. The largest employers were local mines and quarries. Our school opened in 1883 and played a prominent part in local life. During the summer term 2018 our Year 6 children, led by Mr Hawdon and Mr Brown explored the impact of that terrible conflict on local people.
This project had a profound and lasting effect on everyone at Windy Nook Primary School; therefore, and quite rightly so, we have decided to continue to contribute to this page. It is our tribute to the fallen men and women who sacrificed theirs lives to give us the British values that we cherish: democracy; the rule of law; individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths.
Explore & Research
Learning through…
Field Trips
We have field trips planned to Heugh Battery, Hartlepool, Newcastle University and St Alban’s Church.
Local Archives
We’ll be looking at the old school log books and using military service records, CWGC resources, newspapers, maps and census materials.
Expert Visitors
Artist Kate Hancock, ICT expert Martin Bailey and WW1 re-enactor Sgt Chapman will be visiting school to help our Y6 children.
Project Resources
Trade
Directories
Windy Nook
Hero
Finding John
Brown King
Leading Up
To WW1
School Log
Books
WW1 Links
People Who Help Us: Spotlight on Vets!
This term, our learning is centred around People Who Help Us, and the children have enjoyed discovering the many important roles within our community. This week, we explored how vets care for animals, and the children loved immersing themselves in our veterinary...
This Is Me – Celebrating Growth and Progress in Nursery
This week, the children updated our “This is Me” display by creating a new self-portrait. Each child carefully observed a photograph of themselves and produced a drawing, which was then placed over last term’s portrait. This gave them the chance to compare their...
Self Portraits in Lower KS2
This week, our Lower Key Stage 2 pupils began their new art focus on sketching. We started by free drawing an eye, encouraging the children to observe closely and sketch what they thought they could see. After this creative warm‑up, we explored how to break the eye...
Nightingales Homework 16.1.26
This week’s homework for Nightingales is CPG English Pages 2&3 – Nouns and Noun Phrases Please return to school by Wednesday.
Year 5/6 Homework 16.1.26
This week, homework will be in CGP Books. Year 5 Y5 Oaks – Maths- p.56 and 57 – Perimeter Y5 Oaks – English- p.82 and 83 – Word endings - 'able', 'ible', 'ably', and 'ibly.' 1x arithmetic paper (optional) on https://mathsbot.com/primary/year5 Reading- 2 x reading plus...
Elms Homework 16.1.26
Elms homework this week is as follows: CGP Books English – 26 & 27 Maths – there is no written maths homework this week. We are taking part in a Times Tables Rockstars Battle against Oaks and Beeches. Elms homework this week is to do Times Tables Rockstars....
Owls find one more and one less.
Owls have continued to build their confidence with numbers to 50 this week. They’ve been using Base 10 to make different numbers and exploring how many tens and ones each number contains. The children have also enjoyed practising finding one more and one less—adding...
Lego Club Chowdene Family Hub Jan 2026
Article 29: Your education should help you use and develop your talents and abilities. It should also help you learn to live peacefully, protect the environment and respect other people.
UKS2 Spanish
This term the children in Beeches, Oaks and Elms are learning how to say and write about clothing in Spanish (La Ropa). They learned ten items of clothing this week and will learn how to use the words and phrases in conversations.
KS1 Jungle Expedition Adventure!
Today in PE, our Year 1 children set off on an exciting expedition into the jungle! We explored how to use our bodies, faces, and imagination to move like young adventurers preparing for a journey. Article 12: you have the right to an opinion and to be listened to....
BINGO!!! Fred Talk – Read the Word!
This week, the children had great fun playing Bingo to help practise reading words. We reminded them to Fred Talk – Read the Word!” first. Once they recognised the word, they were encouraged to Fred it in their head, helping them read more smoothly and confidently....
Drawing Club Fun!
Our Drawing Club has been full of imagination this week! Children have loved creating their own pictures inspired by The Enormous Turnip and have worked hard to add writing to their drawings. They’ve been practicing CVC words and short captions, showing fantastic...
Image credits
Banner image: Imperial War Museum Photograph Archive Collection
Response Memorial: Photograph by Jacqueline Banerjee from the Victorian Web
Inside Heugh Battery: Paul Buckingham [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons