Students yesterday swapped the serene setting of Yarnton Manor for the bustling metropolis of England’s capital city, London, for various academic excursions.

The medical preparation students visited the world renowned Wellcome Collection, a museum and library exploring health, life and our place in the world. Sir Henry Wellcome, the founder of the museum in 1936, collected more than a million objects through his passion for medicine. The organisation is a global charitable foundation which aims to improve health for everyone by helping great ideas to thrive. The students ventured through the galleries, with particular favourites being the Medicine Now Museum and the Why Music? The Key to Memory exhibitions.

Law preparation students first ventured to the Old Bailey, containing two of the most important courts in Britain. Some of the most notorious defendants in British history have taken place in court one including; Ian Huntley, the Kray Twins and The Yorkshire Ripper. The court is old and has very limited leg room, so judges often prefer to utilise some of the modern court rooms available on the premises. Court two is the high-security court, where terrorist trials are likely to take place. The students got to sit in and observe a real court case in both chambers, a truly unique experience for anyone inclined to study law. Students then migrated to the Royal Courts of Justice, London’s High Court. The building itself is reminiscent of a cathedral both in style and scale. Students were involved in an interactive workshop in a real courtroom, being given a mock case to examine before providing insightful feedback to their tutors.

The students loved their academic day out, gaining real insight into what may well be their future career paths.