A Level Politics Parliament Trip

Politics students from Years 12 and 13 travelled to London on Tuesday 26th September to visit two significant institutions of UK democracy.

Students began with a stroll through Parliament Square taking in the statues of Churchill, Mandela, Gandhi and Lincoln.  Once through the stringent security checks at the Supreme Court, in which a compass, a pair of scissors and a spork were detained, students had free reign through the building.  We began in the exhibition which tells the story of the creation of the UK Supreme, along with significant cases and decisions that have been heard there since it opened in 2009.  This was followed by a visit to the courtrooms and the opportunity to sit in the same seats that the Supreme Court Justices use when giving important rulings, such as on the Prorogation of Parliament in 2019.

A thorough tour of the Palace of Westminster gave students access to parts of Parliament that the public cannot normally use, beginning with the Sovereign’s Entrance which King Charles III will use at the State Opening later this year.  Students spent time in the House of Commons, House of Lords and Westminster Hall (pictured), gaining an insight into the workings and traditions of the two chambers from our knowledgeable guides.  Our trip concluded with a workshop in the Parliament Education Centre on debating and the legislative process.  Strong views were exchanged by both sides in a mock parliamentary debate.

Perhaps in the future some of these MGGS students will once again be taking a seat on the benches in Parliament or at the Supreme Court.