My favourite part of our trip was when we went to the school and the rebuilt barracks, in the Capricorn Centre. My group, B, went to that first. I really enjoyed it because we got to see what it was really like for those children, (boys!) going to school in those days. We were allowed to try on the robes that the girls wore and the boys put on tabards. The boys got uncomfortable, wooden benches and we would have stayed at home relaxing on soft, red sofas. We learnt how to count in Latin using special wooden boards and green marbles. We also learnt how to write letters in Latin, by using wax tablets and a stylus. In the barracks, we lay on the beds that they had. They weren’t very comfy, with mattresses full of straw ad really thin blankets. There were three bunk beds in the room and we all sat on the top and listened to a tape. After that, we were allowed to try on the armour. I just took the photos! I really enjoyed it and am glad I went!

Flo Moore

I enjoyed this school trip because it was fun and we learned a lot. I liked the school where we found out about the boys and girls childhood. We also learned Roman numbers. We all dressed up in what they used to wear. After the school, we went to the gladiators bedrooms. It surprised me that they had so little space and were cared for quite badly. All the beds were straw with an itchy woollen blanket. We also tried on the clothing. It was so heavy! Then we ate lunch and went to see the Roman baths. I didn’t really expect it to be like that. We watched a video in there, saw the layout and read the information posters. I could imagine the atmosphere back then and what it would’ve been like.

Abi Waycott

I enjoyed the entire trip, but my favourite part was the amphitheatre. It was just so interesting when Mr Siddall told us how they would pray to Nemesis Goddess of Revenge. I also liked the schooling part and the rebuilt barracks. We learnt a lot from the tape, plus we got to try on some armour, which was interesting and very heavy!! The schooling bit was good for us girls because we got to lie around on comfy chairs while the boys went to school and had to sit on hard benches. We wore togas, boy’s tunics. We got to learn how to count in Latin and were shown wax tablets. It was very fascinating!!

Ianthe Huntington

We recently went on a school trip to Caerleon and Tintern. I really enjoyed it! My favourite part was when we went to the amphitheatre. It was really moving to think we were walking in the footsteps of the innocently killed. The arena was really well preserved and it gave you a strong feeling of how completely devastating it must have been with people cheering for your death. It’s amazing to think that all those years ago the people stood in the same place as I did with the arena packed with spectators.

Dylan Trenouth

I really enjoyed this trip and I learnt a lot of things. My favourite things were visiting the museum and the amphitheatre. Once we got there, we were split into 3 groups. My group was with Mr Langley. Firstly, we went to a Roman school and then we went to the barracks. After, we went to the museum and looked at the statues. We also filled in a questionnaire. We also had time to go to the shop! We then had lunch which was followed by the baths. We watched a video what told us all about the baths. We then met with Mr Siddall. He talked to us about the barracks. I learnt a lot of things about the barracks. Then, we all walked over to the amphitheatre which was my favourite part of the trip. It was massive! I also learnt about the Gladiators too.

Ben O’Sullivan

My three favourite things in Caerleon are the barracks, the amphitheatre and the museum. The barracks had one room with four bunk beds. Then there is a second room with the armour, weapons and spears. The Centurion controlled eighty men and had the best room. There are ten rooms of eight men in each. The amphitheatre was large I saw where the gladiators had to wait before fighting one another. The gladiators put a piece of paper near the statue of the God Nemesis. They would write 'I hope the person that will kill me today will burn in hell'. The museum had lots of things in it. It had pottery, jewels, a replica of a Centurion and standard – bearer, a coffin of a rich man, money and skeletons and gems from rings. The baths showed us what the Roman people would do in the baths. They would apply an oil and go into the warm room and hot room. Then they would have a dip in a cold swimming pool. I loved this day it was loads of fun and I learnt a lot of new things.

Daniel Baryshnikov

My group went into the barracks where we heard a tape and tried on some armour, whoa that chain-mail’s heavy! Then we went into an old Roman school and learnt some old numbers. After that we went into a museum where there were lots of things to look at, they even had a skeleton! My group went to the barracks and learnt a lot in our time there. We then headed towards the amphitheatre. I swear on my life that as soon as I stepped on the inside of the ring, a shiver ran through the back of my spine! We listened to Mr Siddall talk about what would happen in the amphitheatre and then we were allowed a bit of free time to explore. What a day!

Alexis Birakos

My other favourite part of the trip was the abbey at Tintern. I’ve always liked wrecks of churches more than actual churches; they always seem less commanding, more wondrous. Their sharp corners and strict contours, worn away to a more natural beauty. It’s almost as if what was taken from nature had returned, once again, to mother earth. I’d been to Tintern before, but not into the abbey, but to walk around the bend in the river to the Devil’s Pulpit. It amazed me how intricate all the over-crossing corridors and staircases were. The views from their were amazing, the light catching to make the river gold and the trees, still bare from winter, perfectly at one with the abbey which had needed to be ruined, for its full beauty to show through.