STUDENTS at Sir Thomas Boteler CE High School held a moving service of remembrance.

They honoured many of the Old Boys from Boteler Grammar school as well as former students and teachers.

Members of the uniformed service attended a short tribute in front of the school cross which was decorated with clay poppies which had been made by students.

Year 10 student Sophie Barber also wore a poppy dress made from over 500 individual fabric poppies. During the past month, each student in every art class across the school has made the poppies, and staff and families donated poppies they have made.

Head of art Mrs Joice then put them together to create the dress, in memory of those fallen. The dress was initially inspired by a display Mrs Joice saw in a Salvation Army charity shop in Lowestoft last year.

Before each poppy was made, the students were shown the Royal British Legion website and were read ‘In Flander’s Field’, to remind them of the significance of the poppy.

Head teacher Beverley Scott-Herron said: “This was a very powerful statement and was a very moving tribute to remember all those on our roll of honour."

Inspired by Paul Cummin’s poppy display of 2016 in London, each year seven student made an individual poppy from clay which they then decorated with papier mache and acrylic paint.

These clay poppies then adorned the school cross, made by Shropshire based artist Jas Davidson, which is mounted in our Peace Garden.

Mrs Joice’s intention is for all future year sevens to create a clay poppy in the same style which will be added to the poppy garden.

The English department encouraged students to write poems about war and remembrance. These poems are now displayed on the windows of the corridors looking out to the School’s Peace Garden.

Mrs Joice said: "The students worked so hard and I was very impressed with the enthusiasm and respect they showed in the creations they were making.

"I was overwhelmed to see Sophie modelling the dress, she wore it with modesty and pride. Seeing all of the poppies together that the students had made showed a powerful mark of respect and remembrance."