Academy 360 Marks 80 Years Since VE Day with a Memorable Day of Celebration

Thursday 8th May, Sunderland — Academy 360 proudly commemorated the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day with a full day of immersive activities, historical reflection, and community engagement. The school community came together to honour the legacy of those who lived through the Second World War, bringing history to life for its primary pupils in a meaningful and memorable way.

In tribute to the era, all primary pupils were invited to attend school in 1940s attire, with overwhelming support from parents and carers. The school was a sea of wartime Britain, with pupils and staff donning costumes as military personnel, land girls, evacuees, nurses—and even Winston Churchill himself—setting the perfect scene for a day steeped in history.

Classrooms buzzed with activity as pupils engaged in a wide variety of themed lessons, including historical research, comprehension tasks, debate sessions, and report writing. A specially prepared VE Day lunch, served by the dedicated Academy 360 catering team, added to the authentic wartime atmosphere.

Sarah Bolton, the primary phase’s history leader, commented,

“We are immensely proud of our primary children, who once again showed great enthusiasm for learning about history. Together, we honoured our Second World War veterans, embracing this meaningful opportunity to reflect on and learn from their remarkable stories. We marked the occasion as a day of remembrance, gratitude, and celebration of the freedom that VE Day represents.”

One of the day’s highlights was a 1940s dance workshop delivered by North East Dance. Each year group enjoyed the opportunity to learn and perform traditional dances from the era, with laughter and enthusiasm filling the school hall throughout the sessions.

A group of pupil representatives had the honour of visiting The Pavilion, part of Pallion Action Group, to celebrate alongside members of the local Pennywell community. Hosted by Councillor Karen Noble, the children proudly performed a selection of wartime songs including We’ll Meet Again, Pack Up Your Troubles, and All the Nice Girls Love a Sailor, moving many in the audience and representing Academy 360 with pride.

Crowning the day’s celebrations, pupils were thrilled to witness a triple flyover by a real WWII aeroplane. The aircraft even dipped in salute to the school’s commemoration efforts, a powerful and unforgettable moment for everyone present.

Principal, David Amos, said,

“It was an absolute honour to witness today's VE Day celebrations at The Pavilion today, witnessing the coming together of three or four generations from our wonderful, close-knit community. I am privileged to be the principal of Academy 360, to see our children, dressed up in WW2-imitation outfits, singing songs from the 1940s. What a proud moment! I would like to thank our children's parents for helping their children look the part for the day. We are very grateful to the community groups who pulled all this together. Finally, my personal thanks to all of our staff in the primary phase; they made a real effort to join in with the spirit of the occasion: their outfits were superb, not to mention their collective eye for detail, especially when it came to 1940's hairdos! Our children within the school have seen history in action today, and we are committed to ensuring that the future generations will continue to appreciate and respect the sacrifices of so many brave service men and women from a lifetime ago. We will not forget.”

Head of Primary, Helena West, said,

“Today has been a fantastic example of what makes our Academy community so special. Through the creativity of our staff, the enthusiasm of our pupils, and the support of our families, we have created a day that will live long in the memories of our children. It was a day of learning, honour, and celebration.”

Academy 360’s VE Day 80 event not only honoured the past but helped pupils connect with it in a way that was engaging, respectful, and full of joy.