Year 10 students enjoyed an interactive assembly and debate workshop delivered by Rachael Dodgson, an Senior Education and Engagement Officer for the Houses of Parliament’s education and engagement service.
Rachael works across the North-West, and Yorkshire and Humber, visiting a total of 129 constituencies and engages with primary school pupils all the way up to sixth form students.
During Rachael’s visit, which took place on Tuesday 24th September, Year 10 students were able to get involved by answering questions on their individual remotes such as: What do you know about the UK Parliament? Do you think the world would be a better place if everyone agreed? How many constituencies are there in the UK?
The questions were a great way to engage the students before Rachael explained topics such as; the history behind the Houses of Parliament, what democracy is, the difference between the House of Lords and the House of Commons, what constituencies are, and how laws are created.
In the second part of Rachael’s visit, the debate workshop, students replicated a parliamentary debate with half of the students debating for the ‘reduction the use of single use plastic’ and the other half debating against it, with one student appointed as ‘Madame Speaker’.
Rachael was really impressed with the Year 10 students, she said: “They were fantastic! I think they even wowed themselves really. This is why I think it is a very exciting time in politics, there is an awful lot going on that has never happened before – we are literally living though the history books! I think that the questions the students came up with today shows that they are aware of what is going on and are interested.
“They want to know what is happening and how it will affect their future. This is what we want, we want them to be engaged in parliament and vote – to understand that it does affect them and that it is important.”
