On Wednesday 20 September, Year 12 History students and members of the Politics & International Relations Elective made their annual trek to Westminster. After a quick photo stop at the Emmeline Pankhurst statue we were welcomed into the Parliamentary Education Unit.

A guided tour of Parliament followed including a visit to the chambers of the House of Lords and House of Commons. Standing in the room where so many historical events have been played out and where groundbreaking laws have been debated and voted on is always a real highlight. We then made our way to Westminster Hall where great leaders such as Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II have lain in state and where King Charles I was put on trial.

After our whirlwind tour, the girls then took part in a mini-mock election after quickly being required to design political party names, slogans and key policies on welfare, education and the environment. Our new MP for South Northamptonshire, Mike Reader kindly stopped by to meet the students and answer their questions. Mike talked about the challenges he has found as a new MP and how he found himself in Politics after a previous career in Engineering and Construction. We very much hope that Mike will visit school in the coming months to meet with the girls again.