SOLDIERS and suffragettes invaded a school as pupils learned what life was like on the Western Front and the Home Front during the First World War.

Pupils at Cranford House School in Moulsford, near Wallingford, answered the call to arms and tackled an army assault course, sang wartime songs and created a giant wreath from paper poppies made by every pupil.

They also experienced wartime cooking by making parkin, a filling but much drier dish than is common today due to the shortage of eggs at the time.

A rogue band of suffragettes fought for their cause throughout the day by protesting at some of the events and chaining themselves to signs around the school.

Catherine Sweeney, 14, said: β€œIt brought to life our classroom learning about the First World War and made it much more real.”

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