Schoolchildren in Portsmouth mark Remembrance Day with poppy art installation

The entrance to the Ark Ayrton Primary Academy, in Somers Road, has been transformed with handcrafted poppies cascading over its wall in honour of Remembrance Sunday.

Each pupil – from reception to year six – made at least one poppy to become a part of the display, which was attached to the building with a net by firefighters from Southsea Fire Station, which sits opposite the school.

Head of school, Sophie Bennett-Acres, said: ‘We always do something every year for Remembrance Day and this year it was the idea of staff to try to recreate the poppy display at the Tower of London – so we’ve created our own “Tower of Ayrton” display.

‘For us is it just so important that the children learn about Remembrance Day and those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. Now we have fewer people alive from the wartime generations it’s important we keep that memory alive.’

Year six student Robson Yusef, 10, created his poppy using colouring pencils. He said: ‘It’s important we remember those who fought in the wars to make our lives better.’

Nine-year-old Tyler Kelly, from year six, made a total of 11 poppies for the display, including seven red ones and four purple ones.

‘My teacher told me that purple poppies are there to represent all the animals that died in the wars,’ he said.

‘So I wanted us to remember them as well.’

To mark the occasion the whole school has also gone off-timetable for a week to learn more about past wars and Remembrance Day.

SEE ALSO: Remembrance Day events across the Portsmouth area

As part of it year five student Fatima Hassawi, nine, learnt about the John McCrae poem, In Flanders Fields.

She said: ‘We watched a video showing the soldiers running through the mud and there were explosions going off.

‘We had to write about it ourselves and used the five senses to describe what was happening.’

Her peer, Maleleel Achiri, nine, added: ‘I think it’s important because other people died to give others a good life in the future and we should thank them for that.’

The poppy display will remain in place until Monday, November 15.

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