Thanksgiving

In another major event to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the school, the whole school (1400 or so pupils, all the staff) travelled to London - most on 2 specially chartered trains - to attend a thanksgiving service at St Paul's cathedral. It was a lovely sunny day which meant that, after arriving in London but before the service started, the pupils could gather in Paternoster Square to eat their packed lunches. It seemed to be a bit of an attraction for passing business people and tourists, many of whom photographed the scattered groups of youngsters, highlighted by the girls' red jumpers.

It was a major logistical exercise to herd all those students from the school to the railway station, put them safely on the trains, then walk them through the London streets to St Pauls - and get them seated on time. After the service, the whole exercise had to repeated in reverse. A great piece of planning.