As part of their post-scholarship maths studies, pupils in 6Sc have been exploring the fascinating world of codebreaking, with a special focus on the work of Alan Turing during World War Two. This topic has allowed pupils to see how mathematics plays a vital role not just in history, but in many modern-day careers that demand resilience, perseverance, and sharp problem-solving skills.
On Tuesday 3rd June, the class travelled to Bletchley Park – the historic home of Britain’s wartime codebreakers. Pupils had the unique opportunity to visit the very hut where Alan Turing worked, view a replica of the famous Bombe machine, and learn exactly how the Enigma machine encrypted secret messages.
They also took part in a hands-on, D-Day themed codebreaking activity that required them to listen to and record morse code, and then use an online enigma simulator to translate it. Did you know that the Enigma machine had 158,962,555,217,826,360,000 possible settings – can you read that number?
It was a unique trip that brought history, maths, and real-world problem-solving together, showing the importance of resilience and determination to achieve goals.
