Math students have recently visited Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes to explore and experience the iconic location of where German messages were decoded during the Second World War. Bletchley Park was also the setting of the award winning historical thriller The Imitation Game.
Prior to the visit, the students had been shown The Imitation Game movie at College which added to their interest and intrigue in visiting the once top-secret world of iconic World War II code breaking set within an atmospheric Victorian estate.
During the trip, students visited old huts and blocks where messages sent by the German Army and Air Force were decrypted, translated and analysed for vital intelligence. In these iconic huts, rooms were dressed to resemble how they once looked when code breakers were at work. Students also typed letters using the infamous Enigma machines used by the German Army to send their messages. They were taught basic ciphering and told how the Enigma worked. Students were also given a guided tour of a memorial commemorating the significant Polish contribution to breaking German Army codes (picture above). Finally students were shown the Bletchley Mansion where filming of The Imitation Game took place.
Maths student Olugbemi Moronfolu was one of the pupils who went on the trip. She said "going to Bletchley Park was a wonderful experience. We were introduced to a world of cryptography and technology and told how if it wasn't for this, the Second World War would have cost countless more lives on both sides. I feel the trip has changed the way I think. I now consider Maths to be a lot more important than I had previously thought".
Kathy Fry teaches Maths at Harrow College. She commented "Our objective is to make learning as enjoyable as possible. As well as being a great day out, this trip showed our students how the application of maths has had such a significant impact in history. Students left feeling inspired and we look forward to inspiring our new Maths students next year".
The visit was arranged by the Maths department staff at Harrow College as part of the students' annual end of year trip. For more about studying Maths at Harrow College, click here.