Macclesfield schoolchildren have been deepening their understanding of the Holocaust first-hand.

A group of 31 history students from Beech Hall School recently returned from a trip to Krakow in Poland.

During their visit, pupils explored the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau, learning about the scale and brutality of the atrocities committed there during the Second World War.

Headmaster James Allen said: "At a time when global tensions and intolerance remain present, opportunities for young people to learn directly from history are more important than ever."

The enormity of the camp, so large it takes around four hours to walk its perimeter, left a lasting impression as pupils traced the railway tracks where prisoners once arrived and faced immediate selection between life and death.

They also visited the wooden barracks where up to 700 prisoners were forced to live in cramped, freezing conditions, many dying from malnourishment, cold and fear.

Inside the museum buildings at Auschwitz I, pupils encountered some of the most haunting reminders of the human cost of the Holocaust, including piles of shoes, many of which belonged to children and the remains of human hair taken from prisoners to provide raw materials for German industries.

Mr Allen added: "During our recent visit to Poland, I couldn't have been prouder of our pupils. From their impeccable conduct on the flight to their incredible patience during the three-hour wait at Polish passport control, and their utterly respectful attitude throughout the weekend, their behaviour was truly faultless - Beech Hall pupils living their school values to the fullest.

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"Comments from a member of the public on the flight out, from our tour guide at Auschwitz, from Daniel our guide in the Jewish Museum and even from the pilot as we landed back into Manchester all attested to our pupils' exceptional behaviour, and this too was a privilege.

"I would like to thank Mrs Rhodes for her pinpoint organisation, my colleagues Mrs Moore and Mr Coulbeck for their camaraderie, and of course, to our magnificent pupils, thank you for your engagement, your respect and your company."