In the cold, wet and early hours of Friday 8th February a group of twenty Year 10 History students made their way to Berlin. The purpose of the trip was to provide students with the opportunity to explore the city, which has played such a crucial part in the development of modern world history.

The trip was carefully planned to complement and enrich the GCSE Modern World History course students cover. This course includes topics such as Weimar and Nazi Germany and the Cold War. Throughout the weekend the group explored a number of historical sites including Checkpoint Charlie, the remains of the Berlin Wall, the sites of the Gestapo and Stasi Headquarters as well as a visit to the Reichstag where students viewed the city skyline from the building’s famous glass dome. However, the most memorable moment of the weekend was also the quietest.

It came during our visit to Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which evoked strong emotions in some and caused a moment of reflection for us all. Despite cramming the weekend with museum visits and guided tours the students found just enough time to sample the city’s cultural delights including the famous currywurst.

When asked to give feedback on their visit to Berlin the students said “Overall the history trip to Berlin was the best school trip we have ever been on because we have learnt more than we could learn in a class room and see with our own eyes what these are. The only thing that could be improved would be the weather!” This experience clearly shows the value of learning outside the classroom and the importance of maintaining this provision.