What a jam-packed and wonderful four days Class 1 had on their residential to London! It was non-stop fun alongside some truly great educational workshops that brought learning to life in the most exciting way.
On Tuesday, as we made our way up to the capital, we stopped at Kew Gardens where the children participated in a really interesting workshop on Carbon and Climate Change. They had to work out whether different items contained carbon, and then we talked about how carbon is found in almost everything around us. The children explored how carbon moves and changes from one form to another, which led to a fascinating discovery – we looked at fungi and found out that mushrooms are actually more like humans than plants! To cap off the visit, the children had to design an environmentally friendly feature that we could incorporate into our school site. It was wonderful to see them thinking creatively about sustainability and our own school community.
Wednesday was packed with experiences. The children enjoyed a river cruise along the Thames, learning lots of fascinating facts about the buildings and monuments that line the embankment. After that, we headed to the Paddington Bear Experience, where the children took part in a quest to find oranges for Mrs Brown to make marmalade for Marmalade Day – a brilliant interactive experience that kept everyone engaged and smiling. We then did a tour of the Houses of Parliament, which included a chance to sit in both houses and listen to live debates. This was a real highlight, and we were incredibly fortunate to meet our local MP, Martin Wrigley, who took time to speak with the children. In the evening, we enjoyed a pre-show pizza before going to watch Disney’s Hercules – a perfect way to end a busy day.
Thursday continued the adventure. We walked over Tower Bridge before heading to a WW2 workshop at St Paul’s Cathedral. We had a super tour, and the children even got to lay down and have reflection time looking up at the magnificent dome. The children did a range of activities in the cathedral which included deciphering morse code that was sent during the war. They got to see the site of the unexploded bomb which dropped on the steps outside the cathedral, and went on a hunt for memorials for people who fought and were recognised for their bravery during the Second World War. It was a moving and educational experience that really brought history to life. We had a pre-show dinner on the Strand before going to watch Paddington at the Savoy Theatre – another wonderful evening.
Finally, on the way home, we had a few hours at Legoland, which was the perfect way to end our trip on a fun and relaxed note.
Throughout the entire residential, the children were an absolute delight. We had lots of very positive comments from members of the public about their impeccable behaviour, which made us incredibly proud. This trip would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our staff and Mr Squires, who went above and beyond to make this experience so special and memorable for our pupils. A massive thank you to them for all their efforts.
Well done Class 1 – you were wonderful ambassadors for Cockwood Primary School.
