Year 2 Bring History to Life: The Great Fire of London Workshop

Last week, Year 2 enjoyed an incredible hands-on history experience with The Past Presents, who returned to deliver their much-loved Great Fire of London workshop. This immersive day was designed to deepen pupils’ understanding of the dramatic events of 1666 and the lasting impact on our city.

The children stepped into the shoes of Londoners from the past through five engaging sessions:

• Colourful Characters – Meeting key figures who shaped the story of the fire.
• Unsuspecting London – Exploring life before the blaze, including the infamous bakery and Samuel Pepys’ diary.
• London’s Burning! – Reacting in real time to the fire, firefighting and escaping the flames!
• Rebuild London – Working together to plan and rebuild a stronger city.
• A Monument – Ending the day by constructing a life-size monument to commemorate the Great Fire.

“I liked being Samuel Pepys – he wrote about the fire!” – Year 2 pupil
“We built a big monument – it was taller than me!” – Year 2 pupil

Miss Bernatek, Year 2 Lead, said:

“This workshop brought history vividly to life. The children were completely immersed and made fantastic connections to their classroom learning. It’s experiences like this that make history exciting and memorable.”

A huge thank you to The Past Presents for inspiring our young historians!
📽 Watch our Reel of the day here.