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
This Week in Reception: Creative Christmas Sparkle!
It might still be autumn outside, but inside Reception, the festive cheer has well and truly arrived! The children have been busy designing their 'Cauliflower Cards' with a burst of creativity and sparkle. Using their handprints to shape Christmas trees, they...
London’s burning, London’s burning!
Key Stage One had an amazing (though slightly wet) day when we saw first hand how destructive fire can be. We listened to Mark's safety talk and knew how to stay safe around fire. Mark then set up our houses to recreate Pudding Lane before we watched from a safe...
Bringing History to Life!
This week, Year 2 stepped back in time to 1666! Through drama and freeze frame activities, the children acted out key moments from the Great Fire of London. These powerful scenes helped us imagine what it might have felt like to live through the fire, and gave us...
Talking Maths!
Lower Key Stage 2 have been doing lots of oracy in maths lately. We have been taking time to discuss concepts and unpick everything we can learn. This week, we have been doing multiplication and groups have been talking and sharing their thinking in oracy activities....
Healthy Habits and Autumn Adventures in Nursery!
This week, we continued our focus on self-care and staying healthy. The children made a colourful fruit salad using pears and apples from our school fruit trees, along with oranges and bananas. We practised good hygiene by washing our hands before preparing food and...
Bluebells Homework 3.10.25
Bluebells homework this week is as follows: CGP Books English – Pg 40 & 41 - Question marks Maths - p24 - Written addition Daily reading – diaries will be checked on Mondays. Homework club is available for all children to access if needed on a Friday lunchtime....
UKS2 Study ‘The Planets Suite’
This term, UKS2 have been studying Gustav Holst, a composer who wrote The Planets Suite. We have listened to and responded to Mars and Venus, drawing images of what we heard, felt and imagined while the music was playing. We then came together as a phase to listen to...
Year 5/6 Homework 3.10.25
This week, homework will be in CGP Books. Year 5 Y5 Oaks – Maths- p.18 - Multiples and p.19 – Factors and Primes Y5 Oaks – English- p.9, 10 and 11 – Adverbs 1x arithmetic paper (optional) on https://mathsbot.com/primary/year5 Reading- 2 x reading plus texts plus at...
National Poetry Day 2025!
Let me be first to say, What a fabulous way! To have fun with rhymes And have a wonderful time On National Poetry Day! It was great to see the whole school enjoy National Poetry Day, with lots of fun activities going on in different classes. We even had poetry recital...
Elms Homework 3.10.25
Elms homework this week is as follows: CGP Books English – 10&11 Adverbs for possibility Maths - p16 & 17 Square and Cube Numbers Reading Plus – 5 texts to be completed by Thursday. Time is given in class and children are usually able to complete 3-4 in class;...
Supporting Gateshead Foodbank – Harvest Help for Our Community
Dear Parents, Carers and Children, As part of our Harvest celebrations, we are supporting Gateshead Foodbank by collecting donations to help local families in need. We would be very grateful for any contributions of non-perishable food items. Tinned meat and fish...
KS1 Athletics
Well done to our amazing KS1 students who recently took part in an athletics event! They played brilliantly, showing fantastic teamwork, effort, and enthusiasm throughout the day. We’re especially proud to share that the school was awarded the Self-Belief Award — a...
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
