Mrs Hawley, Subject Leader for Business Studies and trip organiser, reports:

“Our students enjoyed a range of activities on this year’s trip to London that helped them to put many business topics into perspective.

Day 1

We started with a flight on the majestic London Eye. The views across London, taking in The Shard, The Gherkin and of course Wembley Stadium, are fab, although I hasten to add, at a height of 135m, it’s a little scary to say the least! As we queued to get into our pod, I was very proud to see some of our students engage with members of staff, posing questions about the organisation structure particular to the London Eye and what it’s like to be an employee working for Merlin Entertainment.

Next, we took a Thames River Cruise hosted by a cheeky East Ender called Charlie whose witty commentary set him apart from the more sobering “tour guide.” Our students certainly appreciated him.

Shopping on Oxford Street afforded our students the opportunity to consider pricing and promotion strategies which they studied as part of their marketing unit, although I believe many were more focused on the shopping. Nike footwear and apparel, I think! It must be said though that Nike Town on Oxford Street is pretty impressive with its DJs on virtually every floor and every conceivable style of trainer you can think of. What is it about Brands that is so attractive to our teens+ age range??

Time for food and a look at economies of scale via the medium of pizzas at Pizza Hut on The Strand. The more pizzas you make, the less each one costs. Our students will tell you; this is called Purchasing Economies of Scale. Some confusion over the number of pizzas we ordered but everyone was fed and watered in the end. Isn’t that always the case when you order more than say… 3 pizzas?

Finally, we took our seats in the upper circle of the Adelphi Theatre to go on a trip Back to the Future. What an experience; amazing light show and fab music. Business Studies element, well I paid £4 for a bottle of water! Big profit for the theatre or a way to encourage reuse? Something for debate in class.

Day 2

Firstly, on day 2, we visited The Museum of Brands where students were able to see fascinating, chronicled examples of packaging and products from the Victorian era right up to the digital age. Hopefully, this experience will have reinforced their understanding of the importance of branding in making products stand out.

And finally…the pinnacle of our trip to London was a visit to the relatively new Tottenham Hotspur stadium. What a spectacle! Even if you’re not a fan of the club, you can’t but admire the grandeur of this architectural masterpiece. Something however to observe when we return to ethics in our revision phase, controversial or not, do footballers and their clubs have too much money?

And on that note, it’s farewell from me until a similar time next year.”