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
A Day Full of Adventure and Exploration
What an Adventure! All year groups enjoyed an exciting day of outdoor learning, exploring the natural world through a variety of hands-on activities. From pond dipping and discovering fascinating wildlife to sketching the beautiful environment around us, there was...
Noun Detectives: Sorting and Spotting!
In English, pupils in Owls and Robins class became “noun detectives” as they explored how to sort nouns into different categories. They worked carefully to identify common nouns, such as people, places and things, and to distinguish these from proper nouns. Some...
Summer Reading Challenge
Gateshead Libraries are running their fantastic summer reading challenge again over the holidays. It is completely free to take part and begins tomorrow (Saturday 11th July) and runs until September. Children are able to borrow books and collect stickers and prizes,...
LKS2 at Bede’s World!
This week, Years 3 and 4 had a super trip to Bede's World Anglo-Saxon Farm. Our day out was the perfect way to boost our learning in this term's Anglo-Saxons topic. We saw a reconstruction of an Anglo-Saxon farm - including meeting real-life animals that the...
Neurodevelopment support events
Do you think your child may have ADHD or Autism or maybe they are already on the neurodevelopmental assessment pathway? Running throughout 2026, these free, drop-in sessions offer practical advice, early help and information from local services. Neuro Support Events...
Fresh From Our Garden!
Our Reception children were delighted to see how much the vegetables they planted in the spring have grown. After harvesting some of the produce, the children took part in washing, preparing and chopping the vegetables before having the opportunity to taste them. It...
🤠 A Fantastic Year 6 Summer Fayre Success!
Last Friday, our Year 6 children hosted a fantastic Summer Fayre, and what a wonderful afternoon it was! It was great to see so many children embracing the Country and Western theme, with plenty of cowboys, cowgirls and western-inspired outfits on display. The themed...
🎉 Hats Off to a Fantastic Festival! 🎉
The Reception Children started the day by making their own hats and getting creative with decorations. Neddy the horse was a big hit! The children were very excited to meet him and couldn't wait to have their photos taken. At lunchtime, we enjoyed an outdoor picnic...
Young Entrepreneurs Raise £103.35 for Charity!
A huge well done to Isabelle, Elsa, Leia, Rosie, Harper, Ava, Ada, Olivia, Poppy and Sophie, who demonstrated fantastic enterprising skills during our recent school fayre. The girls planned, organised and ran their own bracelet stall from start to finish, showing...
Transition and New Experiences for our Nursery Children
We have had another busy and exciting week in nursery. Our children who will be moving to Reception in September had a lovely time visiting their future classes during transition days on Tuesday and Wednesday, where they enjoyed getting to know Mrs Ramanandi, Mrs...
Active through Families
Active Through Families For families in the local community. Adults and children are welcome to sign up and come along to take part in fun and friendly games that support both physical and mental health. Sessions are run by staff from the Hat-trick project and...
Super Symmetry: Butterfly Magic!
Our Reception children have been full of excitement as they observed their caterpillars form a chrysalis, sparking lots of curiosity and discussion about how living things grow and change. They have been carefully checking on them each day, wondering what might be...
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