Pupils at West Alvington C of E Academy and Charleton C of E Academy, both part of theLearning Academy Partnership, enjoyed an exciting adventure this month, combining travel, learning, and hands-on exploration.
The day began with a scenic train journey across the iconic Tamar Bridge, giving children a chance to experience one of the region’s most impressive engineering landmarks firsthand.
After arriving at the other side, the pupils completed a guided walk back across the bridge to the visitor centre, discovering fascinating facts about the bridge’s design, construction, and impact on the local area.
The trip perfectly complemented classroom learning, bringing lessons about structures and engineering to life and offering pupils a real-world perspective on the topics they’ve been exploring. Staff reported that the children were fully engaged, asking questions, making observations, and enjoying the unique opportunity to combine outdoor learning with practical knowledge.
The Tamar Bridge is an iconic suspension bridge spanning the River Tamar between Saltash in Cornwall and Plymouth. First opened in 1961, the bridge was designed to carry the A38 trunk road and was one of the longest suspension bridges in Britain at the time of its construction, helping to replace ferry services that could no longer cope with rising traffic demand.
Co‑funded by Plymouth City Council and Cornwall County Council and built by the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company, it has become a recognisable local landmark and vital transport link between the two counties. Over the years the bridge has been strengthened and widened to increase capacity, and it continues to serve thousands of vehicles each day while also offering pedestrian and cycle access alongside its role in local engineering heritage.
Hannah Ruston, Headteacher of Charleton CofE Academy and West Alvington CofE Academy, said: “It was fantastic to see our children so curious and enthusiastic throughout the day. Experiences like this help pupils connect classroom learning to the world around them, making education both fun and meaningful.”
Tracey Cleverly, CEO of Learning Academy Partnership, said: “Trips such as this are a brilliant way to inspire young minds. Seeing children engage with engineering in such an interactive way reinforces the importance of hands-on learning and encourages them to explore the possibilities in STEM and beyond.”
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