Year 2 have been learning about The Great Fire of London as their history topic this term, and their learning has come alive through a range of exciting, hands-on experiences.
After exploring how the fire began in 1666 and learning about the limited firefighting methods of the time, the children were thrilled to visit Witney Fire Station to compare past and present. There, they met real-life firefighters, tried on equipment and used a real hose to knock over cones, and even sat inside the fire engine – with lights and sirens on! Emily (Symonds) said: ‘We got to sit inside the fire engine – I didn’t know they kept their air tanks on their seats.’ Tilly (Gwyn) ‘was amazed at how much stuff they have on the fire engine – they even have a big box of biscuits!’
To deepen their understanding of what it might have felt like to live through the fire, Year 2 ventured into the woods for a campfire experience. Surrounded by the crackling flames, they used their senses to imagine the sights, sounds, and emotions of Londoners in 1666. Mr Slader and Mr Gaertner led a fascinating demonstration, showing how different materials – like pine needles – can change the way a fire behaves, just as timber-framed houses and windy weather worsened the blaze in 17th-century London.
Back in the classroom, pupils captured their campfire observations through descriptive writing, imagining what it might have been like to stand in the streets of London as the fire raged. They also created a fantastic collage of the buildings on fire in their art lesson – their creativity really sparked some wonderful art!
