Very early on Tuesday morning, I had the great pleasure of accompanying 8-year 5 children on their residential to London. We left our pickup point and headed for our destination.

On arrival, we headed straight to London Zoo. With so many exciting animals to see, we set off exploring. We saw so many amazing creatures, from gorillas, to beautiful striped tigers, to the king of the animals - the magnificent lion. The diving penguins put on a stunning swimming show while the camels were enjoying their afternoon snack. We tried to count the millipede’s legs but lost count multiple times! We found Dory swimming with her friends in a bright and colourful aquarium. After a visit to the gift shop, it was time to head to our home for the next four days.

Bags unpacked; evening meal eaten. Now it was time to take a stroll around our neighbourhood. At the end of our road stood the magnificent St Paul's Cathedral. We continued to walk to the Millennium Bridge so see London by night.

Wednesday morning was started with a hearty cooked breakfast, preparing us for the full day ahead. Then it was back on the coach for a short drive to the centre of London. Stepping off the coach, towering in front, we noticed Big Ben. We headed past Big Ben towards the grand sight of the Houses of Parliament. We were greeted in Westminster hall by North Devon MP, Selaine Saxby. It was in this very hall that the late Queen Elizabeth II lay in state in September 2022.

After lunch, we all visited the Tower of London. The 900-year history had many roles in the past from a palace, a fortress and a prison. After our evening meal, it was time to get dressed up for our evening at the theatre. The Lion King was such a magical, spectacular performance; it had the all the children perched on the edge of their seats. A truly wonderful experience, enjoyed by all.

On Thursday morning, we travelled to the film set of Harry Potter. The discovery of so many fantastic scenes and props were made here and so much of the actual films were recorded here. For example, we saw the cupboard under the stairs where Harry was forced to sleep, the Great Hall where Harry and his friends would eat their meals and the car Ron Weasley drove in the Chamber of Secrets films. We also came across many strange but brilliant props (like the Monster book of Monsters and the Hippogriff owned by Hagrid). The children had the opportunity to pull a screaming Mandrake plant. It was a magical and memorable visit for everyone.

During the evening, we boarded the coach once again for a “Bright Lights of London,” tour. We started at the Houses of Parliament, travelled past Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus. We went to the front gates of Buckingham Palace and finished our tour by going over the very famous Tower Bridge.

On Friday morning, it was time to pack our bags and head to the Science Museum. We entered the Wonderlab, a safe space with over 50 hands-on experiments and activities. All the children had a great time experimenting with gravity, making cloud rings, operating a

pulley system, investigating an Air Cannon, sending sound waves and colour mixing to name but a few.

Finally, it was time to start our journey home, shattered but smiling, after a fabulous week.

It was an absolute pleasure accompanying the Year 5 children from Witheridge C of E Academy - you all displayed such enthusiasm and politeness throughout the whole trip. What an excellent representation of our school. Well done!

Mrs Milton