Year 12 Brick Lane Trip

As part of the A Level geography course, the year 12s ventured out to the East End of London to explore the changes that have occurred in this corner of our capital. To develop our sense of place we were using a range of texts and images from the last 150 years to look at how the area has changed over time.

Starting in Whitechapel we retraced the steps of philanthropist Charles Booth through the streets of East London to look at the redevelopment of the 19th century tenements. We then read extracts from a 1903 text by Jack London, an American visitor to the shores of the UK allowed for an outsider perspective of an area that has become infamous for food, fashion and crime. Form the Krays to Jack the Ripper we were able to step back in time and walk the alleyways and haunts of London’s infamous inhabitants. Students were assessing the pull factors that have attracted many people to live and work in the area. We ended our excursion in Brick Lane and Spitalfields market. Both entering the warren on vintage wear and sampling the culinary delights on offer.

Students will now be assessed in their AS examinations when asked about a place that has experienced both change and continuity.