Charter Remembers: Honouring Sacrifice and Hope

On Tuesday, 11 November, The Charter School Bermondsey joined millions across the nation in marking Armistice Day. Our school community gathered for a special Remembrance Assembly. Led by Mr Ward and Rodden, students reflected on the meaning of remembrance through our core values: Belong, Believe, Become.

The assembly reminded us that remembrance is not only about honouring those who fought and died in wars, but also about shaping the kind of world we want to live in today.

We explored stories of courage and sacrifice from across the globe — from Khudadad Khan, the first Indian soldier awarded the Victoria Cross, to Caribbean and African regiments who served alongside British forces. We also learned how hope endured even in the darkest times, inspiring the creation of the United Nations, the NHS, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Students were invited to discover personal connections to history through stories shared by staff. These included Jack and Jean Ward, who served during World War II — Jack in the Royal Signals and later as a Captain in the Long-Range Desert Group, and Jean in munitions work during The Blitz. We also remembered Maurice Henry Logan, who served as a gunner in the Royal Navy and was discharged due to injury before his untimely death in 1947. These family stories remind us that the legacy of service and sacrifice lives on in our own community.

At 11 am, the school observed the traditional two-minute silence, echoing the words of Laurence Binyon:
“At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”

This year, Principal Marcus Huntley accompanied two students to represent the school at Southwark’s official borough service at the West Lane Memorial, just off Jamaica Road in Bermondsey. The service, led by Fr Mark Nicholls and joined by other faith leaders, brought together the local community to honour those who gave their lives for peace.

As we remember, we commit to learning from the past and becoming a generation that values unity, hope, and justice. We will remember them.