Year 6 let the train take the strain as they visited the MAD Museum in Stratford-upon-Avon on Tuesday. An early start at Shrewsbury station, two trains and one mad dash across Birmingham, and we were there. The museum, which celebrates Mechanical Art and Design, tied in perfectly with this half-term's English book - The Invention of Hugo Cabret, a novel centred around clockwork and automata. The children were fascinated with the many exhibits which were fully immersive, particularly the room dedicated to constructing giant marble-runs.

A visit to the gift shop, lunch in the sun by the theatre and canals, a quick tour of the Shakespearian statues and then back to the station for the return journey, rounded off the day.

Pleasingly, several members of the public took time to compliment the children's behaviour - "A credit to their school," one said. Well done, Year 6!