A POIGNANT art installation featuring hundreds of ceramic poppies has been created by schoolchildren.

Pupils from Christchurch Junior School worked with ceramic artist Julie Massie to create approximately 650 poppies to commemorate Remembrance, which this year takes place on the centenary of the end of World War One.

The poppies, which were made over a three-week period, have been installed in the school’s grounds on a specially-created mound.

Every child in the school helped create a poppy, with pupils in years 5 and 6 making two poppies each.

Yesterday, pupils and teachers gathered next to the art installation to hold a two-minute silence and pay their respects. A trumpet player played the Last Post to mark the occasion.

Gillian Foster, year 3 leader and art subject lead, is behind the poppy project.

“Originally we were going to make the same number of poppies as men in Christchurch who fell during the war, however this wasn’t feasible.

“Every child completed a 30-minute workshop to make a poppy. Julie fired the poppies, the pupils underglazed and glazed them and Julie fired them again before assembling the installation. Hopefully it will stand the test of time.”

The poppy display replaces a previous sculpture of a reclining lady named Flora. The school has a number of sculptures on display in its grounds including a totem pole character made from wooden sleepers and a large metal insect in a pond.

Gillian said the pupils’ parents would be able to admire the poppy display when visiting the school. She added the children were proud of their artistic efforts and had been asking pertinent questions about the importance of Remembrance as part of their project.

“I’ve seen the children during break time standing next to the poppies and trying to remember which one they’ve planted.

“Over the last two days we’ve been doing some work around what the poppies mean and the children have been asking some really pertinent questions, which is amazing.

“A seven-year-old asked why we need to remember horrible things like war and it was explained it was important to remember the war so something like it never happens again.”