Mrs Clews, Head of Psychology, reflects on this year’s Psychology trip to Poland.

A group of students and staff embarked on a Psychology-based educational visit to Krakow, Poland, over half-term. Our first day began at the Galicia Museum in Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter of Krakow, where we listened to a relative of a Holocaust survivor speak about how their family survived using false identities. Hearing such a personal account brought history into sharp focus and gave students a powerful insight into the resilience and courage shown during that time. Later, we shared a meal at the oldest Jewish restaurant in Krakow, which gave students the opportunity to reflect together on what they had heard.

The following day, we visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Auschwitz Birkenau concentration and death camp to understand what propaganda, prejudice and dehumanisation can lead to. The students found the visit deeply moving and thought provoking. It was an important experience that encouraged thoughtful discussion and reflection. That evening, we walked around the beautifully lit medieval market square in the Old Town, taking in the atmosphere of the city.

Our final full day included a four hour walking tour of Krakow. Along the way, there was an impromptu Reading Blue Coat snowball fight and a stop for what may have been the best hot chocolate we have ever tasted, so thick it was like a sauce. At Wawel Castle, students learned that Polish kings and queens were crowned and buried there for hundreds of years. We then visited the Schindler Factory Museum, where students gained a deeper understanding of what it was like to live in the Jewish Ghetto under Nazi occupation and how over one thousand Jewish lives were saved.

The trip ended on a high note with an evening meal celebrating traditional Polish culture. Students and teachers clapped along with the music and enthusiastically danced with the folklore group.

It is always such an amazing trip and one that leaves a lasting impact on everyone involved.