A Trip to the United Kingdom: One Week in London, One Week in Cambridge

This year, a group of Year 9 and Year 10 students had the opportunity to live a truly unique experience: travelling to the United Kingdom to sharpen their English and immerse themselves in the history, culture, and everyday life of one of the most fascinating countries in the world.  

Every morning, students attended English classes, working with the language in its own context, surrounded by native speakers in an atmosphere where every lesson took on a different dimension from the classroom. The afternoons, on the other hand, were pure adventure and discovery. 

London: Sunshine, History and Endless Energy 

Despite the heat — unusual for the city — London welcomed us in all its grandeur. 

We started at the British Museum, where students were able to admire pieces spanning thousands of years of human civilisation: from the Rosetta Stone to Egyptian mummies and Greek sculptures. A journey through time within a single building. 

We explored Oxford Circus, the vibrant commercial heart of the city, where classical architecture meets the latest trends — the perfect stop to feel the modern pulse of London.  

At the Science Museum, students came face to face with inventions that changed the course of history, from the earliest steam locomotives to space modules. Science, technology, and imagination in their purest form. 

Camden Market was, without a doubt, one of the most colourful stops of the trip. This iconic market — packed with food stalls from around the world, alternative fashion, and street art — revealed another side of London: its most creative, diverse, and youthful. 

We also strolled through Notting Hill, the famous neighbourhood of pastel-coloured houses that many students already knew from the cinema, and walked through Kensington Gardens to admire the majestic Royal Albert Hall, one of the world’s most important cultural venues, whose imposing architecture left everyone speechless. 

Cambridge: Blue Skies, the River, and Academic Tradition  

The second week took us to Cambridge, and the weather could not have been better: clear blue skies and sunshine from beginning to end. 

We kicked off with a visit to Ely, a charming medieval city just a few minutes from Cambridge, famous for its imposing 11th-century cathedral that dominates the landscape for miles around. A place that feels frozen in time. 

One of the most memorable moments of the trip was punting on the River Cam. Gliding along in these traditional flat-bottomed boats, under historic bridges and past the gardens of the colleges, is an experience that perfectly captures the spirit of Cambridge.  

To change the pace, we enjoyed a lively sports day at Coleridge Recreation Grounds, where students shared games, laughter, and plenty of energy in the open air. 

We visited King’s College, with its world-famous Gothic chapel and immaculate gardens — a symbol of the academic prestige this university city has cultivated for centuries. Walking through its courtyards is to feel the weight of history and the greatness of knowledge. 

The walking tour of the city centre allowed us to discover unique corners: ancient bookshops, cafés where scientists and writers once studied, and cobbled streets that hold centuries of intellectual history. 

More Than a Trip  

We came back with sharper English, new friendships, and minds full of images, experiences, and memories that no book could ever teach. We came back having understood, first-hand, that learning a language goes far beyond the classroom: it is also about walking a city, listening to its people, getting lost in its markets, and daring to speak in someone else’s tongue.  

Thank you to all the students for their enthusiasm, and to the families for their trust.  

See you on the next trip! 

Lucas Craig 
IB & IGCSE Visual Arts – Fine Arts Coordinator