This week, our Year 4 classes had the incredible opportunity to visit one of London’s most fascinating historical sites – Highgate Cemetery. This has been our History topic focus for this half term, so it was a wonderful way for the children to connect their learning.
Our visit began with a guided tour of the West Cemetery, led by our knowledgeable guide, Peter. He brought history to life as he introduced the children to some of the remarkable individuals buried there, including George Michael, Tom Sayers, and Michael Faraday. Peter’s storytelling made these names more than just words on gravestones – they became real people with incredible stories to tell. As we made our way through the Egyptian Avenue and ventured inside the mysterious catacombs, the children were full of questions and enthusiasm. One unexpected highlight was spotting an orb-weaver spider, which gave us the chance to discuss nature, habitats and the important role spiders play in the ecosystem.
After the guided tour, we explored the East Cemetery on our own. Here, the children were excited to visit the graves of Karl Marx, Mary Ann Evans (better known by her pen name, George Eliot) and other figures. We also took time to examine the symbols and designs on gravestones, learning how different images tell their own stories about the lives and beliefs of those buried there.
The children returned to school buzzing with new knowledge and many more questions about the people they had learnt about. A huge thank you to Peter for his engaging tour, and well done to the children in Year 4 who blew him away with all the information they were able to share!
