102 very excited Year 7 girls boarded the coaches to head off to Stratford-upon-Avon for an action packed day on Friday 6th July.

In the morning, all the girls had the opportunity to take a backstage tour of both the Main Theatre and The Swan Theatre. It really was access all areas and the girls were fortunate to see the set for Miss Littlewood being taken down and to be replaced by The Duchess of Malfi. A trip up the 179 steps of The Tower afforded fantastic views across the rooftops of Stratford and there were opportunities to be a director in the interactive exhibition. A visit to New Place, one of the Stratford birthplace properties in the town, revealed an Elizabethan knot garden, a ‘pleached arbour’ and the oldest Mulberry tree in England.

In the afternoon, we headed for the sleepy village of Wilmcote to visit Shakespeare’s mother’s home, a working Elizabethan Farm with staff in full costume and animals in good supply. The girls were able to explore at leisure and stop for a well-deserved ice cream on what was possibly the hottest day of the year!