Eight perspex silhouettes from the There but Not There art installation, funded by a grant from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund, were placed on chairs among the audience to represent the eight battalions of the Wiltshire Regiment at a First World War Commemoration Service at Hardenhuish School.

The ceremony was led by the Rev Keith Barry, Padre at MOD Lyneham, for all 245 Year 9 pupils and attended by the Lord Lieutenant for Wiltshire, Sarah Rose Troughton, Michelle Donelan MP, the Mayor of Chippenham, Coun Anthony Phillips, and members of the Royal British Legion.

Afterwards, all 1,700 of the school’s pupils and staff gathered on the field in front of the school for a poppy and wreath laying ceremony, that culminated in the Last Post and two-minute silence.

Philip Arkinstall, curriculum leader for history, said: “It was a remembrance service of immense proportions and a first for the school since its founding. To have so many people involved in a two-minute silence was both powerful and emotional."

He added: "It will be a sight that will live with me forever and something I hope staff and pupils will remember for years to come. I could not have been prouder to see cadets from our school stand alongside standard bearers from across the county and pay the highest tribute. It was a once in a lifetime commemoration for a once in a lifetime moment and I am so pleased we could do it justice. For Alfred Thomas Arkinstall and the millions of men who died from across the world, we will remember you."

The secondary school commemorated the centenary with a special series of activities and events that took place throughout the week, and across the curriculum and in assemblies and tutor activities. In English lessons, pupils analysed war poetry, in art and design they created a variety of poppy-themed designs and in geography they plotted the locations which were affected by the conflict.

At the end of the week, pupils were given the chance to write messages of thanks to someone or a group of people for their contribution to World War I. These were later displayed as a collage in the school’s history department.

During their lunchtimes, pupils brought the names of relatives who may have fought and died in World War I so that they could research them and find their service records. Several pupils brought in objects from home including WW1 medals and books.

Both Chippenham Museum and the Wiltshire and Swindon Heritage Centre kindly loaned objects to enhance the experience for the week and local historian, Richard Broadhead, offered resources and military equipment for pupils to see.

A replica trench was constructed in the foyer of one of the main halls, and a museum of objects created in one of the classrooms with actual finds from the battlefields to handle, uniforms to try on and equipment to learn about. Sixth form history students helped to support these sessions and engage with the lower years.

At the end of the service, Year 9 pupils each took a poppy that had been made from recycled plastic bottles to plant in the ground outside the school’s main house.