YOUNGSTERS from across Felixstowe have been learning about one of the darkest moments in history.Year six pupils are focussing on the Holocaust as part of their studies on the second world war – and visiting Deben High School to see a range of activities, including drama, discussion and poetry.

YOUNGSTERS from across Felixstowe have been learning about one of the darkest moments in history.

Year six pupils are focussing on the Holocaust as part of their studies on the second world war – and visiting Deben High School to see a range of activities, including drama, discussion and poetry.

Youngsters from Deben's feeder schools – Colneis Junior, Grange Primary, Kingsfleet Primary and Langer Primary – were attending the day, organised by the high school's arts co-ordinator Gilly Lawson-Frost.

The youngsters were treated to a full-scale production event featuring contributions from a number of different departments.

The drama department produced a hard-hitting piece called Arbeit Macht Frei, directed by assistant headteacher and drama specialist, Beverley Boyce.

Dance choreography focussed on quotes from holocaust survivors, accompanied by music from Schindler's list. The moving pieces were played by the Deben Strings group and solo instrumentalists.

A selection of poetry written by holocaust survivors and some written by the children of Terecín, who later met their deaths in the camps of Auschwitz, was read by Year 10 students.

History specialist and advanced skills teacher John Moore lead the day with a frank and open introduction focussing on the background of the holocaust and the now indisputable facts of one of the darkest moments of history.

"The deaths of these six million and the suffering of those and many more must never be forgotten. To forget is to allow for the possibility that it will happen again," he said.