Roman history came to life for A-Level students visiting Rome on a four-day study trip by Stepney’s new Attlee A-Level Academy.

East London Advertiser: Seeing the real thing brings classroom history studies alive. Picture: New City CollegeSeeing the real thing brings classroom history studies alive. Picture: New City College (Image: New City College)

The four-day visit was a chance to understand classroom learning of Roman history and literature from their Classical Civilisation course, ahead of the A-Level exams due in the summer.

"The students learnt a lot," Classics and English teacher Liam Browne said. "They have really been able to connect with much of the classroom learning."

The trip organized by the academy, which was opened in September by New City College, had a packed itinerary of historic sites. These included the Roman Forum, Caesar's grave where a student read out Cicero's famous letter to Caesar, and the infamous and iconic Colosseum where gladiators often fought to the death in brutal public spectacles to display the power of Rome.

They also visited the Capitoline Museum, the iconic Trevi Fountain, the Vatican, Campo di Fiore and the Cappuchin monastery with its seven chapels in the crypt decorated with the bones of hundreds of monks.

East London Advertiser: Students from Stepney's Atlee Academy head to Rome, to get ready for their A-Levels. Picture: New City CollegeStudents from Stepney's Atlee Academy head to Rome, to get ready for their A-Levels. Picture: New City College (Image: New City College)