Seventeen Lower Sixth Economics students spent a fascinating and informative day in the capital during half term visiting the Bank of England and the London Metals Exchange.

At the Bank the girls toured the museum, were invited to handle a bar of gold bullion and take part in a simulation running the UK economy. They also listened to a talk by a member of the Bank’s staff and asked some searching questions. The school enters the Bank’s 2.0 interest rate challenge every year in which students present their findings to some of the Bank’s economists and are put on the spot with some challenging questions.

The London Metals Exchange offered the party the chance to observe ‘open cry trading’ in action, during which costly commodities like copper and nickel are priced and traded by a system of calls and hand signals. This is an exciting, dynamic environment and is the chance to see prices set in a major international market.

The final destination was the London Eye in which students enjoyed seeing an outstanding view of central London and its economic regeneration.