Our recent school trip to The Box in Plymouth was a unique educational excursion for Year 9! Students engaged in an eye-opening workshop on the Transatlantic Slave Trade, learning about its harrowing history and lasting impact. They took a guided tour, delving into the life of Sir John Hawkins, the first Englishman to profit from the slave trade. Seeing authentic artefacts, like the shackles once used to restrain enslaved people and Manillas - a form of currency used to buy slaves and eight Manillas could buy a healthy one - made history feel all too real.

The trip also offered other amazing exhibits, from a towering life-sized woolly mammoth to displays of rare species, including the world's rarest spider! The students were especially fascinated by stories of Sir Francis Drake's famous voyages. This experience was a unique opportunity for our students to connect with history in a hands-on way, sparking both reflection and wonder.