Virtual Reality brings the trenches to life for Holte School history students

Through a generous donation from a member, we have been able to sponsor a number of small grants to schools for activities that enhance students’ learning about the First World War. The conditions are that:

• schools must submit a bid for a grant
• the grant cannot be the sole source of funding for the activity
• the school must write a report after the activity has taken place. 

This report comes from the Holte School in Birmingham, who have used their small grant to support a memorable day for students studying the war for GCSE.

On Monday, 8 December 2025, the History Department at Holte School was delighted to welcome Richard Parsons from Time Travel Education, who delivered five World War I virtual reality workshops to our Year 10 and Year 11 students.

The sessions were highly engaging, with pupils demonstrating great enthusiasm as they responded to questions and shared their learning. The immersive VR experience vividly brought the First World War trenches to life, deepening students’ understanding of the British Sector on the Western Front—an assessed unit in the Edexcel GCSE History Paper 1 examination. Richard catered to all abilities, did a lot of knowledge retrieval and helped support pupils who had previously struggled to understand key concepts.

Through the examination of authentic artefacts, including shrapnel and the Thomas splint, pupils gained valuable insight into their use and significance, enriching both their historical knowledge and their appreciation of the realities faced by soldiers during the First World War.

Students thoroughly enjoyed using the VR headsets, and Richard’s expertise and engaging delivery greatly enhanced the experience. We extend our sincere thanks to the Western Front Association for the grant that made this opportunity possible. Experiences such as these are truly invaluable for our pupils.

Salma Bashir, Head of History, Holte School