On Thursday 23 May 2024, 117 Year 8 historians and 11 members of staff embarked on a two-day whistle-stop tour of the battlefields of the First World War in France and Belgium.

Following an early 04:00 departure from school, the two coaches made their way to Dover, picking up our expert guides along the way, before crossing by ferry to Calais. A short journey from Calais took the pupils to Memorial Museum Passchendaele. Following a picnic lunch, pupils explored the museum, which is a particular favourite amongst both pupils and staff, with the opportunity to investigate a wide range of artefacts relating to the First World War, to try on uniform from the Great War and to walk through recreations of British and German trenches.

Next we travelled to Tyne Cot CWGC Cemetery for a moving visit, where our guides took us through the process of mourning those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Pupils were respectful and thoughtful as they explored the cemetery, with some pupils finding family relatives.

A short journey to Ieper (Ypres) followed, for dinner at a local restaurant and a visit to a chocolate shop, before the exhausted party headed south toward the Somme to their hotels for a well-deserved rest.

Everyone was up bright and early on Day 2 and the group began a rotation of activities focusing on the Battle of the Somme. The coaches rotated through a number of key sites associated with the conflict including Sunken Lane, Newfoundland Memorial Park and Ulster Tower, exploring a diverse range of topics.

We stopped for lunch at a local tea rooms and the guides took us through a 'show and tell' exhibit of WW1 kit, with Artem playing the role of a Private in the British Army 1914. The final stop on the itinerary saw the coaches reconvene at Thiepval Memorial to the Missing for the chance to reflect and have a discussion on the lasting legacies of the First World War. The pupils laid wreaths and an act of remembrance was carried out. This sobering and moving experience was an incredible way to end our trip.

The journey to Calais and another ferry crossing saw the pupils say goodbye and thank you to our expert guides in Dover before the journey back to Cirencester. The weary group arrived back at around 23:00 on Friday evening with a phenomenal depth of understanding and a plethora of incredible memories.

I would like to thank the tireless staff for their efforts and the incredible pupils for their maturity. They were a pleasure to travel with and we look forward to our 2025 trip!

Mr Ferne, Head of Humanities