Commemorating 80 Years Since VE Day 

To mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, students and staff at Eltham Hill School came together for a powerful and wide-ranging programme of remembrance and reflection. VE Day is celebrated on 8th May and marks the end of World War II in Europe, a moment of enormous historical and emotional significance.

Across the school, students engaged in events that honoured both the sacrifices of the past and the values protected by the Allied victory. Year 9 and 10 students took part in a series of interactive workshops exploring democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and freedom of speech. Through roleplay, debate and reflective writing, they gained a deeper understanding of how these rights can be protected and how easily they can be lost.

Our Sixth Form students led a thought-provoking panel discussion titled “Should we still commemorate VE Day?” Their debate touched on topics such as post-war reconstruction, global conflict and the responsibility of young people today to uphold the principles of peace, justice and equality.

We were also privileged to display historical panels donated by the Mayor of London, originally exhibited in Trafalgar Square, bringing a vivid sense of VE Day celebrations in 1945 into our school corridors. Staff contributed moving stories and photos of their own family members’ wartime experiences, which were shared in lessons and assemblies, helping students to make personal and emotional connections to the history they were studying.

Students also expressed their reflections through poetry and art, some of which can be found in our commemorative booklet, created to capture the breadth of this commemoration.

Read our VE Day 80th Anniversary commemoration booklet here.