Not many people can say they have slept with dinosaurs, but that was exactly the experience for the lucky Year 5s from St Mary Queen of Martyrs! I'm Rebecca, School Liaison Manager, and I was fortunate enough to accompany this fantastic group of children on one of our overnights led by Mark.
After a relaxing train journey, being well looked after by the LNER staff (thank you!), we arrived in London. Mark led us on a walking tour, visiting Buckingham Palace and even making some new feathered friends in St James’ Park! A photo-op at Horse Guards Parade was the final stop before we were surprised with some exciting information… we had been granted permission to visit the door of Number 10 Downing Street!
We spent the afternoon in the Houses of Parliament. Because it was not in session, we were able to visit the two Houses, understanding the process behind how laws are made. In our workshops, we passed our own laws and were visited by Lord Haskel, who dropped by for a question-and-answer session.
The next stop was the Natural History Museum. Mats and sleeping bags set up, we went to take part in activities led by the museum staff. First up was an engaging lecture all about sharks. We then used stencils to design our own dino-skeleton t-shirts, which we wore for our final activity of the night: dino hunt in the dark! After all that excitement (and the many steps we had racked up walking around the capital all day), we were certainly ready for bed!
Day two began with a sausage sandwich and some free time to explore the museum. From creepy crawlies to massive mammals, a favourite exhibit was the earthquake simulation in the Red Zone.
It was soon time to head back to Kings Cross for souvenir shopping and a McDonalds lunch before our train journey home. Another big thanks to the staff on Hull Trains, who made sure we were taken care of.
This trip could not have happened without the support of the school staff, Mark and our amazing volunteers, David, Diane, Ruth and Ann. A special mention must also be given to the children, who were certainly fantastic ambassadors!
What an experience!
The trip was absolutely fantastic! The children and adults loved it so very much! They will never ever forget this experience! Words can’t describe how much of a difference HEY Children’s University have made to our children’s lives.
Natalia - Class Teacher