Cracking Codes at Bletchley Park

Pupils in Years 3 – 7 enjoyed a visit to the beautifully restored historical site of Bletchley Park. The children were introduced to the lives and significant roles of people during WW2, immersed in the surroundings where events actually took place.

During the day, pupils took part in workshops about codes and ciphers and had guided tours of the site including the mansion, huts and codebreaking blocks. The children were able to see the imitation bombe machines and see a real Engima machine, even getting the chance to use it. They saw various exhibitions and galleries relating to wartime including the life and works of Alan Turing.

The main focus of Turing’s work at Bletchley was in cracking the ‘Enigma’ code. The Enigma was a type of enciphering machine used by the German armed forces to send messages securely.

It was a great trip and well worth a visit.