Year 2: When did the Great Fire of London start, and what caused it?

This week, the children have started learning all about the Great Fire of London, through History and English. In History, the children had to listen to the events of the story: The fire started on Pudding Lane on September 2nd 1666. It lasted for 5 days. It was caused by a spark in Thomas Farriner’s bakery, after the fire had not been put out properly. It began in the early hours of Sunday morning, and spread across London very quickly. It burnt down places such as St. Paul's cathedral, and thousands of people were left homeless.

The children put these events onto a timeline, and have impressed us with their ability to recall these facts throughout the week.

We have also started reading a story called Sammy The Street Dog, in which Sammy awakes in the middle of the night, on Pudding Lane, by the smell of smoke and fire. We follow Sammy through the streets of London, and find out about the events of the Great Fire, through his eyes. 

The children have written some fantastic descriptions this week, using the story as inspiration. They will be applying what they have learned to next week's writing. Read our "Peek at next week" to find out more.