GCSE History pupils at Lawn Manor Academy in Swindon were recently transported back in time – not by time machine, but by technology – as part of a unique and immersive lesson exploring the harsh realities of World War One trench warfare.
Across two days, nearly 150 Year 10 and 11 students took part in an interactive learning experience led by Time Travel Education, featuring Virtual Reality headsets, WWI artefacts, and first-hand accounts brought to life by Sergeant Parsons, a veteran with over two decades of service in the Royal Army Medical Corps.
The experience formed part of the school’s revision support for pupils working towards their GCSE History exams. Each class was given an hour-long session which delved into the daily life of soldiers on the front line, the treatment of battlefield injuries, and the life-saving innovations born from the brutality of war.
Social Sciences teacher Andrew Bull said:
“Through the use of VR headsets, pupils were able to step into a front-line trench and explore the layout, routines, and medical responses that formed part of a soldier’s daily experience. We looked inside a Regimental Aid Post and Casualty Clearing Station, observing how conditions like bullet wounds and trench foot were handled.”
As well as virtually standing in the boots of First World War soldiers, pupils also handled genuine artefacts including shell fragments and a Thomas splint – a medical device that transformed battlefield survival rates by stabilising fractured limbs.
Mr Bull added:
“Combining the virtual with the physical has brought this period of history alive. It’s helped the pupils link their classroom knowledge with something tangible – which will no doubt benefit them in their upcoming exams.”
Lawn Manor Academy, part of the Ascend Learning Trust, continues to invest in creative ways to engage students beyond the textbook, making history both memorable and meaningful.
