Some of the buildings we saw included the Gherkin (called that because of its similar shape), Mansion House (which we discovered was the residence of the Lord Mayor of London) and the Chartered Accountants' Hall (which serves as the headquarters of the Institute of Chartered Accountants). We also had the opportunity to walk around Leadenhall Market, known for its breathtaking architecture and diverse shops and restaurants.

After that, we were able to explore the Bank of England Museum, which consisted of many rooms containing information about the bank. For example, the Bank’s Stock Office and The Banknote Gallery, where we learnt about goldsmiths and how banknotes are printed. A highlight from the museum was in the room called ‘The Rotunda’ where a real gold bar weighing 13kg was on display where we were able to touch and lift it. We learnt that the Bank of England keeps over 400,000 bars of gold in their vaults: worth over £100 billion!

Overall, the trip was very enlightening and helped deepen our understanding of real world economics and finance in London.

Freda Pereira, Year 10