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LONDON - LOCATION GUIDE HISTORY & POLITICS

Exceptional Tours Expertly Delivered

Our location guide offers you information on the range of visits available in . All visits are selected with your subject and the curriculum in mind, along with the most popular choices for sightseeing, culture and leisure in the area.

The information in your location guide has been provided by our partners in London who have expert on the ground knowledge of the area, combined with advice from education professionals so that the visits and information recommended are the most relevant to meet your learning objectives.

Making Life Easier for You

This location guide is not a catalogue of opening times. Our Tour Experts will design your itinerary with opening times and location in mind so that you can really maximise your time on tour.

Our location guides are designed to give you the information that you really need, including what are the highlights of the visit, location, suitability and educational resources. We’ll give you top tips like when is the best time to go, dress code and extra local knowledge.

Peace of Mind

So that you don’t need to carry additional money around with you we will state in your initial quote letter, which visits are included within your inclusive tour price and if there is anything that can’t be pre-paid we will advise you of the entrance fees so that you know how much money to take along.

You also have the added reassurance that, WST is a member of the STF and our featured visits are all covered as part of our externally verified Safety Management System.

HISTORY & POLITICS VISITS IN LONDON

BRITAIN IN WW1 & WW2

BLETCHLEY PARK Bletchley Park is the ideal place to learn about GCHQ's contribution to WWII and Bletchley's place in World History in general. Exhibits and collections are also available that cover aspects of life in general for people during the War. Guides with specialist knowledge take tours around the park with a specific focus on History and includes the Bletchley Park Story exhibition.

Educational Resources: Materials are available to access via the website including the Bletchley Park War Diaries, Jewish personnel at Bletchley Park and the Polish Contribution.

Top Tip: Your guided tour will take you outdoors so make sure you are prepared for the weather.

Website: www.bletchleypark.org.uk/ Location: Bletchley Park is located in Milton Keynes so is an ideal en route visit.

CHURCHILL’S WAR ROOMS Discover the original Cabinet War Room and the wartime bunker that sheltered Churchill and his government during . Explore the historic rooms to experience the secret history that lives on underground. Discover the stories of those who worked underground as London was being bombed above them, and then find out more about the life and legacy of in the interactive Churchill Museum.

Schools must book this visit direct themselves to get free entrance. This visit takes max. 60 pupils per school per day. Large groups will be split across 2 days.

Website: Underground: / St James’s Park

HMS BELFAST Film, photographs, objects and veteran testimonies tell the story of what life was like living and working on board HMS Belfast during her duties in the Second World War, the Cold War, Korea and beyond.

Schools must book this visit direct themselves to get free entrance. This visit takes max. 60 pupils per school per day. Large groups will be split across 2 days.

Educational Resources: During term time workshops are available at an additional cost for KS3, 4 and 5 based around the themes of D-Day, Life at Sea and Remembrance.

Top Tip: Extra care must be taken when walking around HMS Belfast with only two decks that can be accessed without climbing or descending ladders. We suggest outdoor clothing and flat shoes should be worn.

Website: HMS Belfast Underground:

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM The covers conflicts involving Britain from the First World War through to the present day. The new First World War galleries have two permanent exhibitions to support the Centenary; Fighting Fronts and Life at Home. In addition there will be temporary exhibitions over the 4 years commemorating WWI. This visit takes max. 60 pupils per school per day. Large groups will be split across 2 days. Key WW2 exhibitions are A Family in Wartime, Turning Points 1934 - 1945 and Secret War.

Educational Resources: The IWM offers a range of free learning resources on the website and onsite educational sessions. www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm- london/groups-schools

Top Tip: Schools can join the First World War Centenary Partnership led by IWM which presents a vibrant programme of events, activities and resources which enables you to engage further with the Centenary. www.1914.org/partners/

Website: www.iwm.org.uk Underground: Lambeth North

WWI & WWII LESSONS AT THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM We can arrange these sessions at the new Imperial War Museum on top of your self-guided visit. They are typically 1hr to 90 mins in duration with a maximum of 30 students per lesson. First World War Creative Responses: Film (KS3-4): Students work with The Battle of the Somme (1916), analysing the techniques used to make the film, the impact on audiences during the First World War, and how the film is useful as an historical source. First World War: New Perspectives (KS3-5): Students investigate a lesser known aspect of the First World War through IWM's Collections. They then apply their research by selecting material to produce a mini exhibition on the topic. First World War: Personal Perspectives (KS3): Students use material from IWM's collections to lead their own investigation into one person's experience of the First World War. They then share their findings and reflect on the range of experiences represented. Second World War: Life in Nazi Germany (KS3-5): Students investigate documents, film and sound to learn about the life of Werner Lehmann between1933 and 1939, and the wider context of life in Nazi Germany for a teenage boy.

Second World War: Meet an Evacuee (KS3): Students have the opportunity to meet a Second World War eyewitness who can answer students' questions and share their memories of evacuation and life on the home front. Second World War: Personal Perspectives (KS3-4): Students use material from IWM's collections to lead their own investigation into one person's experience of the Home Front. These include paid and voluntary work, the role of women, the Home Guard and children’s experiences. They then share their findings and reflect on the range of experiences represented. Website: www.iwm.org.uk Underground: Lambeth North

LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM Exhibitions here include the London Transport at War collection where you can find out more about how the city was kept moving during the war, the role that women played and how the underground provided shelter during the Blitz.

Website: www.ltmuseum.co.uk/ Underground: /

ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL The Cathedral offers a 1 hour themed visit based on the ‘Cathedral at War’. Students will discuss the effects of the Blitz, evacuation and rationing on Londoners, see where bombs fell on the Cathedral and how it rose from the ashes of the city. This session can be adapted for KS3, 4 and 5. Afterwards you can then take some time for a self-guided visit around the building.

Top Tip: In addition to the crypt and the Cathedral, weather permitting, you can take your students to the climb up to the exterior galleries for an amazing view of London. This is an additional cost which can be paid on the day.

Important information: Maximum numbers per group is 30 including adults. Only 2 time slots available each day – 10.30 and 13.00 hrs. This visit does get very busy so is strictly subject to availability.

Website: www.stpauls.co.uk Underground: St Pauls

THE HOLOCAUST

THE HOLOCAUST AT THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM The Holocaust Exhibition- Self Guided (KS4-5): This award-winning exhibition traces the Nazi persecution and murder of Europe’s Jews from 1933 to 1945. Photographs, diaries, toys and film tell the stories of the people who lived through this period. Testimonies from survivors bring a moving perspective to these objects. Over 14 years ols only. Pre- Holocaust Exhibition Discussion Session and Audio Guided visit (KS4- 5): Through discussion and reflection students will prepare to visit The Holocaust Exhibition before being given an audio guide to navigate their way

through the chronological narrative of the Holocaust and deepen their understanding of events in Nazi-occupied Europe and beyond. The Holocaust: Personal Perspectives Session (KS3-4): Using a range of material from IWM's collections, students lead their own enquiry into the lives of people affected by the Holocaust. Afterwards students will be able to visit The Holocaust Exhibition. The Holocaust Exhibition: Touching the Past Session (KS4-5): How do historians and exhibition curators construct a narrative of the past? Using objects related to The Holocaust Exhibition, students explore how we study history and how objects can enrich our understanding of the past. After the session your group may visit The Holocaust Exhibition. Top Tip: Entry to the exhibition is limited to Year 9’s upwards. It’s compulsory for Year 9 to 11 students to first have a pre-booked educational session to help them prepare for and understand the content in the exhibition.

Website: www.iwm.org.uk Underground: Lambeth North

JEWISH MUSEUM The Jewish Museum offers a wide range of workshops which can be tailored to your needs and include resource materials and activities. Holocaust workshop themes available for KS3 and KS4 are: Faith and the Holocaust – Using evidence, art and witness testimonials, students will review the opinions of those who gained, kept, questioned or lost their faith. Never Again Auschwitz: the Story of Leon Greenman – The workshop draws on the life story of a Holocaust survivor through evaluation of his personal artefacts, film and photographs. Through this workshop students are encouraged to reflect on and empathise with individuals. Witness the Witness – A unique opportunity for students to meet and hear the personal testimony of a Holocaust survivor or Kindertransport refugee.

The Jewish Museum closes early on Friday and is closed all day Saturday.

Top Tip: These workshops also cover study themes within the Religious Studies curriculum, so you can team up with the RS department to increase numbers on your trip. Website: www.jewishmuseum.org.uk/holocaust-education-secondary Underground: Camden Town / Mornington Crescent

WIENER LIBRARY The Wiener Library is Britain’s largest and most extensive library and archive on the Holocaust and the Nazi Era. During the week, workshops are available for schools which are designed to help students get the most out of the collections.

Website: www.wienerlibrary.co.uk/ Underground: Russell Square / Goodge Street

MEDICINE THROUGH TIME

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE MUSEUM Through artefacts and pictures the collection here spans the life of Florence Nightingale. School groups can have a guided tour around the museum to support the Medicine Through Time syllabus. The tours are for a maximum of 15 students so the Museum suggests splitting an average sized group in 2 and combining a visit to the mini museum at St Thomas’s Hospital next door, which shows how techniques, medicines and equipment have changed during its 800 year history.

Website: www.florence-nightingale.co.uk Underground: Westminster / Waterloo

HUNTERIAN MUSEUM This museum at the Royal College of Surgeons has renowned collections of human anatomy and pathology, natural history and works of art from the last 200 years. Visitors can discover how these diverse objects have informed the medical world.

Educational Resources: The Museum offers a GCSE Medicine Through Time workshop which allows students to work with original objects from the museum’s handling collections, study library and archive source materials. Students will create a tour of the museum that focuses on a particular element of surgery, medicine and healthcare and their development through time.

Website: www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums/hunterian Underground:

OLD OPERATING & HERB GARRET A museum of surgical history and one of the oldest operating theatres. This visit gives a great insight into operating conditions before the introduction of antiseptic surgery. Along with viewing the operating theatre itself and the herb garret used by the hospital apothecary, a collection of artefacts revealing the horrors of surgery is exhibited.

Top Tip: The Old Operating Theatre can also provide guided walks around the local area covering medical history and the development of the public health. An educational session on Medicine Through Time is also available for KS4.

Website: www.thegarret.org.uk/ Underground: London Bridge

SCIENCE MUSEUM The Science Museum has 3 exhibitions that support KS4 study of Medicine Through Time: Glimpses of Medical History – This gallery depicts the work of doctors, dentists, opticians and surgeons through models and lifesize constructions which illustrate developments in medical practices through time. Health Matters – Explores the impact of medical technology through the 20th Century The Science and Art of Medicine – One of the finest collections of medical objects from all over the world.

Website: www.sciencemuseum.org.uk Underground: South Kensington

CRIME & PUNISHMENT / POLITICS

WALKING TOUR OF POLITICAL SITES A Blue Badge Guide will take you around Westminster to see the iconic government buildings and political sites past and present. This is a perfect overview to start your visit to London.

THE CLINK PRISON MUSEUM TOUR Dating back to 1144, this site is one of ’s oldest and most notorious prisons. In this this guided educational experience, view archaeological artefacts, handle torture devices, and hear all about the misfortunes of the inmates. Tour lasts 45 minutes with free time to explore after.

Website: www.clink.co.uk/education-at-the-clink.html Underground: London Bridge

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT Free guided tours are available throughout the year. These tours must be booked directly by the school using the specific educational booking line and at certain booking periods. Please follow these links for information on when you can make a booking and rules of booking. www.parliament.uk/education/visit-parliament-with-your-school/palace-of- westminster-tour/ www.parliament.uk/documents/education/docs/Visiting-Parliament/Information- for-bookings-day.pdf

Please note that tours are very popular and places are limited, so generally have to be booked about six months in advance. Your tour will last around 75 minutes.

Educational Resources: In addition to a guided tour, you may also request a curriculum focussed workshop and possibly a Q&A session with your MP, subject to their availability. Workshop themes are Elections and Voting, Your Voice and Making Laws. These workshops get booked up well in advance so please apply early.

Website: www.parliament.uk Underground: Westminster

JACK THE RIPPER WALKING TOUR Always in the evening and at its best when London is cold and misty, this eerie tour takes students back in time to 1888 to follow in the footsteps of the London Metropolitan Police as they try to catch a killer. When we arrange the tour we inform the guide of the age of the students so that the information will be tailored to their age range in terms of scariness! The tour lasts for approx. 90 minutes.

Top Tip: The tour usually begins approx. 6.30 pm so be prepared for an early or late evening meal.

Meeting point: Tower Hill Underground Station

LONDON DUNGEON The London Dungeon combines real history, horror and humour to bring gruesome goings-on back to life in the 21st century. A thrilling and exciting trip that students will love, with actors recreating events such as the Great Fire of London, Sweeney Todd, Jack the Ripper and an 18th Century courtroom.

Website: www.the-dungeons.co.uk/london Underground: Waterloo

THE TALK & COURT SESSIONS The visit begins with a talk, where your groups are shown where the public hangings took place, and other historical points of interest. After discussing the court’s history, the group are then given the day’s programme of the 18 courts with advice of the more interesting trials and any top criminal barristers in action. The court opens for its afternoon session at 2pm and groups can leave whenever they like.

Underground: St Paul’s, Blackfriars

ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE Bring your learning to life with a visit to the for a school visit unlike any other. The National Citizenship and Law (NCCL) specialises in providing a range of innovative activities to suit your classroom based learning, all within the magnificent setting of one of Britain’s most prestigious working courtrooms. Your group can choose from a wide range of quality learning experiences, including:

Court in Session This two hour session takes place in a working court room and around the courts. Students will:

 Be introduced to the Royal Courts of Justice and what happens there  Prepare and enact a trial based on an ex-offender’s experiences  Explore roles in a court room and meet a legal professional where possible  Discuss and debate real sentencing options  Discover key spaces in the Royal Courts of Justice

Motion to Appeal This two hour session takes place in a working court room and around the courts. Students will:  Be introduced to the Royal Courts of Justice and what happens there  Prepare for and debate an appeal case which has been heard at the Royal Courts of Justice (this can be a broader debate or one that focuses on a particular point of law)  Explore roles in a court room and meet a legal professional where possible  Discover key spaces in the Royal Courts of Justice

Website: www.nccl.org.uk/what-we-do/?location=london Underground: Temple

THE SUPREME COURT The Supreme Court hears cases of the greatest public or constitutional importance affecting the whole population. Guided tours last approximately 50 minutes, including each of the three courtrooms (when not in use) and areas not usually accessible to the public. Observing court sessions is possible but space is limited and so often is not possible for groups. School and college groups can visit here Monday to Thursday for a guided tour.

Top Tip: This visit gets booked up well in advance so it is recommended you request this 3 months in advance at the latest.

Website: Supreme Court Underground: Westminster

TOWER OF LONDON See where numerous individuals lost their heads and visit the Prisoners exhibition which looks at some of the Tower’s more notorious convicts including Anne Boleyn, Edward V, Guy Fawkes and Sir Thomas More.

Educational Resources: The Tower’s official website has downloadable trails, worksheets and videos aimed mostly at Key Stage 3.

Website: www.hrp.org.uk/toweroflondon/ Underground: Tower Hill

CULTURAL VISITS IN LONDON

London offers a great choice of museums and attractions, many of which are an ideal complement to their learning and can be free for students

HIGHLIGHTS OF LONDON GUIDED TOUR A half day guided tour of the city on board your coach is a perfect way to see all the major sites. Highly recommended if this is a first time visit to London for many of your students.

GUIDED TOUR OF THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC SITES Following the outstanding success of the world’s greatest sporting event, there is now huge interest in seeing the area where our athletes won their medals. A vast urban regeneration programme has transformed East London and is still making headline news. This 2 – 2½ hour walk begins at Pudding Mill Lane on the Greenway overlooking the Aquatic Centre and the Stadium and then goes into the park to past the Handball Arena (The Copper Box), walks by the Velodrome and also the new I- City (formerly the International Press Centre). For an additional fee we can pre- book visits inside the Copper Box, the Aquatics Centre and the Orbit within your walking tour. Please confirm at the time of booking. Top Tip: Please note the tour does not allow access to all areas of the Olympic Park. A number of buildings including the Olympic Stadium and the Velodrome are still not open to visitors. However, these key sites can still be seen from great viewpoints around the tour.

ART GALLERIES OF LONDON London has a great range of art galleries, which have free entrance and all offer downloadable resources and education programmes. The most popular galleries are:

National Gallery National Portrait Gallery Britain Victoria & Albert

BRITISH MUSEUM With more than 7 million objects within its collections, the illustrates and documents the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present. Famous objects include the Rosetta Stone, sculptures from the Parthenon, the Sutton Hoo and Mildenhall treasures and the Portland Vase making it one of the greatest museums in the world. Website: www.britishmuseum.org Underground: Holburn

LONDON EYE Breath-taking sights make the a highlight of the city which you should not miss! Top tip: If you are looking for ways to keep your students entertained, this is an excellent evening activity. Website: www.londoneye.com Underground: Waterloo

MADAME TUSSAUDS A thrilling and exciting visit containing inspiring wax works of some of the world’s most influential and famous people. Galleries include Sport, World Leaders, The Royal Family and Music along with the Spirit of London ride. Website: www.madametussauds.com/London Underground:

MUSEUM OF LONDON Step inside for a memorable journey through London’s unsettled history. Telling London's story students can enjoy the prehistoric, Roman and medieval London galleries through to the present day. Educational Resources: The website contains useful resources and apps which you can download or use for free. The website offers downloadable resources for Key Stage 3 students including pocket histories, interactive activities and interactive whiteboard presentations. Website: www.museumoflondon.org.uk Underground: Barbican

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Hundreds of exciting, interactive exhibits including the ultimate dinosaur exhibition, a human biology section or visit 'Investigate' -an exciting new hands-on science centre perfect for engaging students. Website: www.nhm.ac.uk Underground: South Kensington

RIPLEY’S, BELIEVE IT OR NOT Based in the heart of the West End, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is the most wonderfully weird visitor attraction in London. Home to countless curiosities collected by the legendary adventurer Robert Ripley, you’ll step into a fascinating world where the bizarre and the unbelievable come to life and where amazement is waiting around every corner. From unusual art to underwater wonders, an upside down room and even a dungeon, at Ripley’s London there are mindboggling experiences for even the wildest imagination. Website: http://www.ripleyslondon.com/ Underground: Picadilly Circus

THAMES RIVER CRUISE This cruise along the Thames is a great way to see some of the major sites of the city. We recommend groups take the 40 minute cruise from Westminster to Tower which takes in Westminster, , , London Eye, , The Tate Modern, St Paul’s Cathedral, London Bridge, and the Tower. Meeting Point: Westminster Millennium Pier

WEST END THEATRE PERFORMANCE Whatever your study aims, a West End show is a great opportunity to reward those on school trips to London with a thrilling night at the theatre.

Our top West End shows for school tours to London:

The Lion King Wicked Aladdin Les Miserablés Matilda School of Rock

Top Tip: We can pre-arrange your interval ice creams for you, so you can avoid the queues. Just ask your Tour Consultant.

RESTAURANTS Make your evening meal a night out with a restaurant visit. We can book tables at an exciting range of restaurants offering pre-theatre dinner packages to suit all budgets. Choose from:

Bubba Gump Shrimp Planet Hollywood Rainforest Café Hard Rock Café Pizza Hut Pizza Express Maxwell’s Sticky Fingers Palm Court Brasserie Piazza

We can also arrange for packed lunches to be delivered to your hotel or an appropriate meeting point in the city.

Top Tip: These restaurants usually offer a 2 or 3 course menu based on a set meal, but can always offer a vegetarian alternative so please let us know if you have any vegetarians in your group.

HOODED SWEATSHIRTS We can help you to arrange hooded sweatshirts for all the participants on your trip. We work with an experienced team who can offer you a choice of sizes, colours and personalise them. So, not only do your students have a greater sense of identity with being on the trip, they have a memento to keep afterwards.

‘They were brilliant! Really impressed with the quality. Pupils made comments about them being better than the ones they had for netball tour! They loved them! Definitely want them next year!’ Wydean School