Britain is celebrating a new royal baby, as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced the birth of their son on 6 May 2019. The British capital decided to have babies welcome the baby. The new baby, who is the seventh in line to the throne, has been named Archie. He is unusual in the Royal … Continue reading “It’s a Boy!”
Our bioboxes are short “Who Am I?” quizzes to help introduce pupils to famous figures in the English-speaking world. This one was written by pupils for our “Who Am I?” contest. Thank you to Miss Mazuet’s 4e Euro class, Collège Clément Marot, Douvres la Délivrande (14). You can download the MP4 file below to use … Continue reading “Biobox: Sherlock Holmes”
Being buried in Westminster Abbey is the highest honour a British person can be given. And yet, like so many British traditions, it has developed in an organic way, with no real rules or system. It is sometimes described as Britain’s Pantheon or Valhalla. The Abbey itself, in London, is a thousand years old and … Continue reading “Westminster Abbey: Britain’s Pantheon”
Hamilton, a hip-hop musical about one of America’s Founding Fathers, is one of the most unlikely Broadway hits ever. It is finally arriving on this side of the pond, playing to sold-out houses in London’s West End. Hamilton is the brainchild of Lin Manuel Miranda, singer, dancer and author of In the Heights, his first … Continue reading “Hamilton Musical Arrives in London”
It has all the ingredients of a great British event: tradition, wearing costumes, doing silly things and collecting money for charity! Every year at Covent Garden Market in London, teams of people participate in The Great Christmas Pudding race. They make their way through a series of obstacles while carrying a Christmas pudding on a … Continue reading “The Great Christmas Pudding Race”
The British capital gets into the Halloween spirit with a vengeance. It must be said that London has almost 2,000 years of often bloody and gruesome history that lends itself well to tales of ghosts and the unquiet dead. The various Royal Palaces have a wealth of gory history to delve into. At Hampton Court … Continue reading “Scare Yourself Silly: Halloween in London”
The biggest music festival in the world isn’t Glastonbury or Lollopallooza, it’s a classical music festival: the two-month annual BBC Proms series in London. Started in 1895 with the specific aim of popularising classical music, the final night of the series, the Last Night of the Proms, is now an institution watched by millions around … Continue reading “Rocking to the Classics”
London is celebrating its Roman past with the Londinium festival. Access and download teaching resources on the Romans in Britain from A1+ to B1. There are articles about Hadrian’s Wall at A1+, A2 and B1 levels, with accompanying interactive comprehension activities, as well as a B1 audio on British Queen Boudica’s resistance to the Roman … Continue reading “The Romans in Britain Teaching Resources”
Win a trip to London to discover the city’s Roman past. The City of London, the “Square Mile” which is the oldest part of the city, dates from AD50 when the Roman invaders founded Londinium, which they built into the country’s largest city. For almost 400 years, it was a hub of Roman culture and … Continue reading “Win a Trip to Roman London”
It’s one of the world’s last working palaces. It is also one of London’s major tourist attractions. The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace has always attracted visitors but, since 1993, crowds have flocked to visit the State Rooms where royal ceremonies take place. Parts of the Palace date back to the 17th century … Continue reading “Buckingham Palace Open for Visits”