Organised through the UK Parliament Education Centre, students were afforded the opportunity to tour the Palace of Westminster and participate in an interactive workshop that explored the creation and changing of laws. This inspired discussion and debate within the group as they considered which laws they would change and their reasons for doing so.

Fortunate timing, with the House of Commons and the House of Lords currently on Conference Recess, meant that students were granted access to both Chambers during their tour – taking them to the heart of British democracy. The group also visited Westminster Hall, familiar to many of them as the venue for the Lying-in-State of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

While participating in the workshops, word was received by the hosts that Graham Stuart, Member of Parliament for Beverley and Holderness, and Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, was in attendance. Having been made aware that students from Withernsea were visiting the Houses of Parliament, Mr Stuart requested to meet the group and joined them for an impromptu question and answer session.

This opportunity was welcomed by the students who were delighted to meet their MP. Reflecting on this unexpected encounter, trip leader and Head of Personal Development, Andrea Monaghan, said: “We weren’t expecting it at all, but Graham came and said hello and our students were really pleased and excited to meet their MP. They all had the opportunity to speak to him and asked some great questions, especially Edith Whittaker who asked the most incredibly intelligent questions about A.I and was delighted to have an opportunity to speak to her MP about something she’s interested in.”

Reflecting on the meeting, Graham Stuart said: “It was fantastic to welcome students from Withernsea High School to Parliament for a tour of the magnificent building and a Q&A. They asked lots of interesting questions, from my thoughts on Artificial Intelligence to what I do in London to represent them. One of the best parts of my job is visiting schools to inspire them to make a positive difference in our community. I’m sure the students I met will go on to do great things in Withernsea.”

The visit to Westminster aligned with the students’ continuing exploration of citizenship, a topic covered within fortnightly Personal Development lessons that nurtures the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to play a full part in democratic society as active and responsible citizens.

Explaining this work, Andrea Monaghan said: “As part of their Personal Development lessons, students explore citizenship with a focus on how Parliament works. Our visit to Westminster therefore complemented this classroom learning by helping to bring the subject to life. Throughout the rest of the year, students will continue to explore these themes and many others through a combination of lessons and drop-down mornings which will see them taken off timetable for bespoke learning opportunities.”  

Reflecting on the visit as a whole, Andrea added: “Taking a group of our students to the capital, many for their first visit, was an amazing experience. Walking alongside the Thames to the Houses of Parliament and seeing attractions such as the London Eye was all very exciting. To be given such access to the Houses of Parliament, and to see the things you see on TV in real life is certainly an experience we will all remember.

We were fortune to visit while Parliament was in recess and really enjoyed seeing both Houses in-person. We were all struck by how much smaller they are in real life, which gave us an interesting perspective on how busy they must get during a full sitting.

I was deeply impressed with how much the students knew and of the questions they asked, both of our tour guides and our MP, Graham Stuart.

The tour guides from the Parliament education service were fantastic, sharing lots of historical and quirky facts with our students which they found really interesting.”

Throughout the tour of the Palace of Westminster, the students themselves remained impressed by their surroundings, the history of the buildings and the variety of artwork on display.

Year 8 student Oliver Cullen said: "I would recommend this trip for anyone who is interested in history. There was some amazing artwork on the walls of the Houses of Parliament - of past Kings and Queens, and major battles. There were also statues of former Prime Ministers like Churchill and Thatcher. We got to stand in the big hall where the Queen had lain in state before her funeral last year and we also enjoyed going into the House of Lords and House of Commons."

The students’ time in London was rounded off with a visit to the nearby Sea Life London Aquarium. Year 8 student Imogen Boasman said: “The London Aquarium was brilliant! There were so many different things to see: snapping turtles, penguins, jellyfish, a crocodile and all kinds of fish. But my favourite were the sharks!"

ABOVE: Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, met with Withernsea High School students at the Houses of Parliament. 

ABOVE: Mrs Monaghan, Head of Personal Development, with Year 8 students Crystal and Noah. 

ABOVE: As part of the trip, which took place on Thursday 28th September, the students were treated to a visit to the nearby Sea Life London Aquarium.