A history topic left the classroom, when Marshland High School students travelled to London to visit the National Archives and attend a workshop which tied in with their school studies.

The 11 Year 8 students had been studying the slave trade, and ‘Resistance and Rebellion in the Caribbean’ helped deepen their understanding of the subject.

History Teacher Lydia Beatty accompanied the group.

“Students had just finished studying a unit about the transatlantic slave trade, including Britain’s role in this,” she said. “This tied in with us learning more about Thomas Clarkson, who was a local abolitionist.”

It was the first time that students from our school, which is a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, had spent time at the National Archives in Kew, where documents covering more than 1,000 years of history are stored.

Miss Beatty continued: “We were really lucky to receive a bursary from the National Archives, which enabled us to put on this trip free of charge.

“It was great for students to see original sources and handle them. They found out more about why we have National Archives, and what kind of documents are kept there. They also found out more about the processes archivists go through to ensure very old documents are preserved accurately.

“As a history teacher, it was also the first time I had been to the National Archives, so I found it fascinating too.”

Documents housed in the Archives detail the 400-year history of Caribbean resistance through Colonial Office records, original correspondence, trial transcripts, and punishments lists.

Miss Beatty added: “Being able to see historical sources first hand is valuable to understanding more about British and world history.

“We were privileged to be looking at sources about the transatlantic slave trade – a subject I feel is so important for students to learn about.”