Yesterday our students had no trouble getting out of bed – the sun was shining, breakfast was waiting for them, and they were headed on excursions around Oxford!

There were a handful of great options on offer: Oxford Castle, the Ashmolean Museum, Christ Church, Blenheim Palace, and Harcourt Arboretum. While there were some students heading to each location, Blenheim Palace was the most popular choice by far! 

With over 300 years of history housed there and more than 2000 acres of parkland to explore, Blenheim is one of the most popular tourist attractions around Oxford, so it’s hardly surprising it was a hit with our students!

In the morning, the students explored the palace itself, making the most of the opportunity to see, touch, and hear history. One of the students’ favourite parts was the Churchill Exhibition. Filled with letters, artefacts, and paintings that belonged to Winston Churchill, one of Britain’s most famous prime ministers, the exhibit really let students step into history.

Downstairs in the palace, the cohort got to see the other side of life at Blenheim, walking through the servants’ quarters and discovering just how big the class divide was in Britain only a century or so ago.

In the afternoon, students grabbed an ice cream to keep them cool and then had free time to explore Blenheim’s vast park and gardens. The stunning parkland made a great backdrop for photos and also provided plenty of entertainment for our students in the afternoon! Some took the chance to relax in the shade while others raced each other through the giant hedge maze, all determined to reach the centre first!

Everyone was a little sad to climb back on the coach at the end of the day, which is a definite sign of a day well spent!