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
Lion Experts in KS1!
Our wonderful KS1 learners have been busy becoming lion experts! We have been exploring non-fiction texts, learning how to find information using key features such as headings, subheadings, captions, and pictures. The children did an amazing job identifying these...
Wheels, Words and Wonderful Learning in Nursery!
This week we continued our transport topic and the children explored their creativity using the interactive whiteboard to design their own cars. They carefully chose the colour of the body, selected the type of wheels, added numbers or motifs, and even decided what...
Silent Play in RE
This week, Lower Key Stage 2 devised silent plays made up entirely of positive gestures. Using hands, facial expressions and body language, each play told a story and gave a positive message e.g. help someone if they are hurt; wish people good luck for the future; or...
Gateshead Library Service inspire learning.
Key Stage 1 were delighted to welcome visitors from the Gateshead Library Service for a special session focused on empathy through storytelling. The children listened carefully to a range of stories and explored how different characters might feel in a variety of...
Positional language professionals
Owls and Robins classes explored positional language in their maths learning by creating 3D models using cubes. Working in pairs, the children used words such as left, right, above and below to describe how to build their structures, carefully listening to their...
Sunflower Scientists: Planting for Growth
Our Key Stage 1 learners became budding scientists as they explored how to plant sunflower seeds. Each child carefully filled their pot with soil, made a small hole, placed their seed inside, covered it with more soil and gave it a gentle watering. Through this...
Newby Wiske 2026
The Year 6 children have had a very successful residential trip to Newby Wiske. They have tested themselves to the limits, learned survival skills, teamwork and independence. Last night, the children sang and danced at the silent disco before settling down for their...
Newbie Wiske
What a start to this year’s residential. The children have taken part in a range of amazing activities, from facing their fears on the climbing wall and the giant swing, showing excellent teamwork skills in a range of games and showing competitive spirit during laser...
Bluebells Homework 5.6.26
Bluebells homework this week is as follows: English – Page 50 and 51 - Apostrophes for missing letters Maths – Page 38 and 39 - Fractions of amounts READING All children should be completing daily reading – diaries will be checked on Mondays. If your child reads 5...
Transport Adventures and Sports Day Fun!
This week we have introduced our new focus on transport, and the children have been exploring this theme in lots of creative and hands-on ways. During snack time, we enjoyed reading a range of transport-themed books, which sparked discussion and curiosity about...
Nightingales Homework 5.6.26
This week’s homework for Nightingales is - CPG English Pages 18 & 19 – Commas in a list Please return to school by Wednesday.
Virgin Money Make £5 Grow
Today, Year 6 were delighted to welcome Clare and Jen from Virgin Money, who introduced the exciting Make £5 Grow project. Over the next few weeks, the children will take on the role of young entrepreneurs as they learn how to invest money and develop ideas to...
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