British Library Research Trip Marks New Partnership
As part of a growing academic enrichment programme to promote the study of the humanities, Colfe’s has established a partnership with the British Library, with the collaboration launching with a day of research at the library’s St Pancras site.
The Colfe’s group of Year 10 students was joined by ten students from three partner schools, Bonus Pastor Catholic College, Conisborough College and Prendergast Vale. The students were given special access to the many primary exhibits on display, and spent a fascinating day taking part in workshops and research activities.
In extraordinary timing, the day of the trip coincided with the day protestors attempted to break into the case containing the Magna Carta. Although the subsequent news crews at the library created some excitement amongst the students, the break-in meant that the Treasures Exhibition was closed. The students were instead treated to free entry to the Beyond the Bassline: 500 Years of Black British Music exhibition, which turned out to be a fortuitous twist of fate, as it linked closely to the Windrush Voices workshop in which the students spent the afternoon engaged. The session explored the arrival of the Empire Windrush in 1948, the wider social and historical context of the moment and the first-hand experiences of the Caribbean people who came to the UK in the 1950s and 60s.
Tim Cook, Teacher of English and Academic Enrichment Co-ordinator, said: “Forging this partnership with the British Library provides our students an excellent opportunity to go beyond the GCSE curriculum, and we are delighted to have joined with our three partner schools in this fascinating day of research. Despite the unforeseen disruption on the day, the students were so well behaved and gave some very mature responses to the research-inspired tasks.”
