On the last day of term, our Y6 children experienced an amazing day in London!
It was an early start, arriving at school by 5.45am and departing Sheffield at 6.00am. It was a good run down to London, in spite of busy roads. The children were excited as we made our way past familiar and less familiar landmarks on our way to the south bank and our first stop - The London Eye.
We arrived early, and as the sun shone, the children sat together, with staff, in Jubilee Gardens for a picnic.
The London Eye
It was very busy around the London Eye, with tourists and school parties from the UK and abroad milling and queuing. When it was time, we joined the queue which moved fairly quickly. Thankfully we were all able to get on the same pod and the clear blue sky meant that we were able to enjoy incredible views in all directions!
We spotted Downing Street, Whitehall and the Cenotaph, Horse Guards Parade, the Palace of Westminster, St Thomas' Hospital, stations, the river - east and west, The Shard, The Gherkin and other famous skyscrapers, Battersea Power Station, Westminster Abbey, St James' Park, The BT Tower and Buckingham Palace to name but a few! Everyone was amazed!
The Palace of Westminster
We then gathered and made our way along the south bank towards Westminster Bridge, past the Aquarium, The London Dungeon and The Shrek Adventure, all located in the former Greater London Council building. Once on the bridge the children walked past different acts and vendors, including a man in full uniform playing the bagpipes!
We then made our way around the Houses of Parliament to the Victoria Tower at the opposite end to the Elizabeth Tower, where Big Ben is located. On the way we went past Westminster Abbey, where King Charles' coronation took place a few weeks ago. The colourful flags of of the Commonwealth still lined the way. The children were surprised at the scale of the Abbey as they walked by the end where the king was actually crowned.
A short time after, we arrived at the discreet entrance to the new Education Centre where we were met by the Westminster staff and received our passes. After going through stringent airport-style security, which involved bag and body scanners, we were escorted to an immersion room where we watched a short film about the history of the Palace of Westminster and the Houses of Parliament projected on all the walls!
We learned that British democratic government is based around a constitutional monarch, the House of Lords and the House of Commons and that the various parts of the Palace were coloured to signify who used each part. Blue represents the monarch, now King Charles; red represents the Lords and Baronesses; and green represents the areas used by the elected members of the House of Commons.
The tour then began.
We crossed over from the Education Centre, through some more heavy gates, in to the main palace complex. We made our way in to the part where the carriage waits when the monarch is delivered for the State Opening of Parliament. We then walked up the steps the monarch uses to enter the palace. There were some more grand stairs that are lined by soldiers on important state occasions. These led to the King's formal robing room, where he gets ready to open parliament. We learned that there are secret rooms that lead off from the Robing Room, that can only be accessed by secret doors hidden in the panels. The room was very grand.
Our guide explained that the monarch visits the Palace of Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament, which is usually once each year, though it can sometimes be more, for example, if there is a general election and a new government is elected.
We were then led through some richly decorated rooms and corridors to the Lords' Common Room - a sort of staff room, where the members of the House of Lords can meet each other and do some work. We could see that some of the laws they are debating currently, were piled in stacks on desks and tables as we walked through.
We then went through the King's bedroom (apparently used by Henry VIII) which had pictures of his brother and wives. We saw a statue of Queen Victoria, that she apparently did not like because she thought the eyes were strange and her dainty feet were not resting on the footstall symmetrically!
We then made our way in to the House of Lords.
We entered the House of Lords via a door that is used by the King and saw the gold throne from where he reads the King's Speech. We stood by the red leather benches where peers sit when they are debating and listened carefully as our guide told us about the history and significance of the chamber.
We were able to go everywhere on the day because it was a Friday and no Lords or MPs were meeting.
Our guide showed us where Winston Churchill had made famous wartime speeches when the House Commons had been bombed during World War Two, forcing the MPs to meet in the House of Lords instead.
When someone in our group asked about the gold throne, our guide explained that it was not actually solid gold, because if it was, the floor would not be able to carry its huge weight. He added that at one point the famous singer, Michael Jackson, wanted to buy the throne for his ranch in California and had offered £4 million for it, which was politely, and firmly, turned down.
We then made our way from the House of Lords to the House of Commons, along a beautiful corridor.
Halfway down we stopped in a lobby where Members of Parliament (MPs) pick up notes and letters. There were statues of some well-known former Prime Ministers including Winston Churchill, David Lloyd-George, Margaret Thatcher and Clement Atlee. We then made our way, onward, to the House of Commons.
Overall the chamber of the House of Commons was much plainer than the House of Lords. We saw where the MPs sit and the children learned about the role of the Speaker and the Serjeant-at-Arms. We learned that no Queen or King has been allowed in to the House of Commons since King Charles I, when he fell out with Parliament and started a civil war which resulted in his defeat, trial and beheading!
We learned that 'Black Rod' is the person who summons the Speaker and MPs to the House of Lords for the King's speech, by banging on the door to the House Commons, which is shut just before s/he arrives.
Afterwards we returned to the central lobby and went down another corridor to Westminster Hall, where the late Queen Elizabeth lay in state, before her funeral. We saw where the members of the public queued and processed past her coffin. This was the only area that photographs could be taken. Westminster Hall is the oldest part of the Palace of Westminster, dating back to the Middle Ages. The wooden roof has no nails or screws, it is all held up by the design and engineering of the Middle Ages, incredible!
At the end of the tour our guides complimented our children for their behaviour, manners and engagement! The children had shown a real interest and had asked lots of great questions and listened intently to what was shared.
The River Cruise
We then made our way back to Big Ben and crossed over to the Westminster Pier on the Embankment, to board our river bus. This crisscrossed the river, dropping off and picking up passengers, all the way to Tower Pier. The children therefore had time to relax and enjoy a second packed lunch as they looked the various sights on the waterfront. They were particularly fascinated by Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast at the end of the ride.
The Tower of London
On arrival we were able to bypass the long queues waiting to gain entry because we were allowed to go through a special entrance for school parties, that was located along the riverfront, near to Traitors' Gate.
The Tower of London is actually more of a complex of different buildings, rather than a single building. There are houses and apartments too, where servants of the crown live. This meant that it actually felt more like a village inside the great castle walls.
The castle-like building, we call 'the Tower' is known as 'The White Tower'. As we approached it we could see that the queue to view the Crown Jewels, which are located in a different building, was very long at this point. We therefore decided to view the exhibition in the The White Tower instead. By now it was very warm so we were all relieved to be inside where it was much cooler.
The children saw armour and all manner of weaponry. There were interactive exhibits and lots to keep everyone interested and amused. Again the good behaviour of our children attracted the attention of Yeomans and other employees of the The Tower of London with one commenting that "without doubt" our children had been the best school party all week, in terms of organisation and behaviour and engagement.
Once we had viewed the exhibition the children had an opportunity to view the changing of the guard, on the concourse, just outside of the White Tower, with the soldiers dressed in full ceremonial uniform marching, complete with bearskins.
Once we had all been to the toilet, we noticed that the queue to view the Crown Jewels had gone right down, as the day was drawing to a close, so we took our opportunity.
In the end, we queued for less than five minutes and the children were able to view everything including, the full regalia; the crowns of various former Queen Consorts and the coronets worn by the Prince of Wales and different Dukes. Finally, the children saw both the St Edward's Crown - used to crown King Charles - and the lighter Imperial State Crown, which he wore later.
Again our children received more praise, this time from members of the public who were impressed by their manners and excellent behaviour.
On the way back to the coach, the children saw Traitors' Gate from the inside, and the entry point through which the enemies of Kings and Queens of the past, arrived back in the days when the Tower was used as a prison.
We then joined the coach to begin our journey home, driving past more landmarks and points of interest as we weaved through the traffic and exited London.
However, our day was not quite over. For some, the best bit was yet to happen - a stop off at the services on our way home and a chance for a McDonalds meal with friends!
The roads had been busy, as everyone left London on the Friday before the Bank Holiday to travel north for the weekend. We eventually arrived back at school, later than planned, all happy and safe - if a little bleary-eyed.
It had been an extraordinary and memorable day!
We thank our children, who were all such wonderful ambassadors of our school. Their manners and behaviour were impeccable. I would like to thank our coach drivers for delivering us safely there and home and our guides too. Finally I would like to Mr MacInnes for making the arrangements and coordinating the visit, supported in the office with the administration by Mrs Grayson and Mrs Ramsden, and on the day itself by Mrs Steenson, Mrs Hadfield and Mrs Prestidge, a parent volunteer and long-serving Governor.
