This morning the full Queen Elizabeth’s Academy community joined together as we held our Remembrance Service to pay respects to those people who have fought and died for our country.

Our students and staff were honoured to be joined by guests from the Old Elizabethan Association, representatives from the armed forces and the Royal British Legion. Governors, trustees and three of the local primaries – Wainwright Primary Academy, Redgate Primary Academy and Crescent Primary School – were also among the invited guests.

We were pleased to be joined by Reverend Rachel Williams who led the Church of England service alongside academy principal Kimberley Willmot.

Mrs Willmot commented: “The Remembrance Day service is always an emotional event and I am immensely proud of every single one of our students for their outstanding behaviour today. They represented our academy with an impeccably observed silence.”

Readings and poems were performed by year 11 students, alongside members of our staff as part of a moving service. Assistant principal, Kirstie Dixon, also read out the names of former Queen Elizabeth’s students who lost their lives in the forces, together with a number of names of family members who had served in the forces, nominated by the families of current students.

Ben Bradley, MP for Mansfield, attended the ceremony and was thoroughly impressed with the service. “It’s a pleasure to be able to support Queen Elizabeth’s Academy and attend a poignant and respectful ceremony. It is great to see such respect and patriotism from the students.”

The two-minute silence was impeccably observed by the hundreds gathered outside the pavilion, following the bugle announcing the Last Post.

Thank you to all of our guests and visitors, including the Pleasley Colliery Welfare Band who performed traditional music before and after the service.