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Wednesday 8th May was a very exciting day for Oakleaf Primary School Year 3. Thankfully, it was a lovely, sunny morning as we all met at Hemel Hempstead Train Station ready to board the 9:30 train to Euston. All went smoothly, we arrived on time and headed towards the Underground. This was the first time some of the students had been on an Underground train and were awed (and a little surprised!) by the rattle and shake as we sped deep under the ground from Euston to London Bridge. From the Underground we walked along the Thames, with many commenting on the plastic pollution they could see - we had been learning about this the week previously - and jumped on a Clipper boat towards Vauxhall. As we headed along the river we spotted lots of the places that we had been learning about in history and geography this year including: The Globe theatre, Tate Modern, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, Battersea Power Station, the statue of Boudica and many more.

Travelling into London and seeing these sights for themselves really enhanced this learning and brought the lessons to life.  Recently, in geography we have been comparing London to Hemel Hempstead, all agreed that the Shard is definitely taller than the tallest tower in Hemel, the roads are definitely busier and there are a lot more people around. Travelling by train, tube and even a boat, surrounded by friends was also great fun.

As we travelled along the Thames, we were informed that a very VIP was also enjoying a river trip that morning, and was due to pass us shortly - we could not believe our luck that we were on the river at exactly the same time as HRH King Charles  - the children whooped and waved, ecstatic when they got a wave in return.  So, not only did the children get to see so many of the wonderful sites they were learning about, but they also got to see the King! This made what was already a wonderful experience for them, a once in a lifetime experience which they will all remember for years to come.

After our Thames boat trip and a fair bit of walking, the children and adults had all built up an appetite. We are very thankful for the incredibly generous hospitality offered by the Novotel, London Bridge who treated us to a delicious lunch, and as one child said, treated us like the VIP's! 

If you would like to see the moment King Charles give us a wave, you can watch it on the link below. Skip to 1 min 23 seconds. You'll here our very excited children and staff!

ITN News - King waves to fans during River Thames boat ride