Mr Bowen and Mr Hinchliffe were really pleased to take our Year 13 artists to Slade School of Fine Art this week! What an inspiring school to visit and a big step closer for those students wishing to pursue a career in the arts.

Over to Mr Bowen for an expressive description of the visit (and not to forget the Tate Modern too!):

Year 13 artists visited The SLADE SCHOOL OF ART!

As you know, this is the BEATING HEART of the British Art scene since 1868. Name a British artist of any note and the chances are they went to the Slade. I'm talking about Lucien Freud, Antony Gormley, David Bomberg, Augustus John, Gwen John, William Coldstream, Tacita Dean, Richard Hamilton, Patrick Heron, Paul Nash, Eduardo Paolozzi, Paula Rego, Stanley Spencer, Euan Uglow, Rachel Whiteread...

Everyone came away visibly buzzing about what they had seen - talk about inspiration and motivation. It really hit home that with work - and passion - we can study there too!

And, of course, no self-respecting trip to London is complete without a trip to TATE MODERN. Painting, sculpture, installation, film, the odd dash of performance art; and they're currently displaying some Giacometti sculptures in some very dark rooms. Haunting.

Is this going to be the best day of the year?

Thanks to the Merchant Taylors' Company for supporting this exceptional opportunity.