In December, our Art of Tour Guiding students completed their first written assignment: to attend at least four guided tours of central London venues and write a report on their observations. Focusing on guiding skills such as group management, audience engagement and storytelling – not site facts – they produced 3,000-word reports and summary slides. As well as developing their ability to make observations of other guides in action, the purpose of the assignment was for the students to reflect on their current ability level and decide on an action plan for their skills development.
The selection of venues was entirely up to the students and they chose to explore far and wide, including:
- Westminster stars: Westminster Abbey, Palace of Westminster, Royal Opera House, Royal Albert Hall
- City gems: St Paul’s Cathedral, St Bartholomew the Great, Vintners’ Hall, Dr Johnson’s House
- Cultural hubs: British Museum, National Gallery, V&A, Tate Britain and Tate Modern
- Heritage sites: Shakespeare’s Globe, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Hunterian Museum, John Soane’s Museum
And many more venues were included in the assignment, too.
The learning points and action points identified by the students were a clear sign of their enthusiasm to improve and the importance of self-reflection in a professional development training course. If this sort of learning appeals to you, then please request our course prospectus and get ready for applications opening for the 2026-27 course in May.