Students from Fallibroome Academy paid a visit to the Houses of Parliament recently, and met with local MP, David Rutley, to learn more about the work of Members of Parliament and how Parliament works.
The group of sixty students from Year 8 met with David for a question-and-answer session on the steps in historic Westminster Hall, the oldest surviving part of the Parliamentary Estate. David answered a range of questions from them about democracy in the UK, as well as topical subjects such as the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, and local priorities for Macclesfield. David explained more about the work of an MP and why it is important for people of all ages to engage with our democratic institutions.
On their visit, the Fallibroome students also enjoyed a tour of the Palace of Westminster, which included visiting the chambers of the House of Commons and House of Lords. They then finished their day in the new, purpose-built, state-of-the-art Parliament Education Centre, where they took part in themed workshops and exercises and tested their knowledge of everything that they had learned on their visit.
David encourages schools in and around Macclesfield to visit the Houses of Parliament and make use of the well-established and effective educational facilities available. There is more information on how schools can organise visits to the Palace of Westminster on the official UK Parliament website: www.parliament.uk/education/visit-parliament-with-your-school/
Speaking after the school's visit, David said, "It was great to meet with students from Fallibroome Academy in Parliament and to answer their impressive and well thought-out questions. It is vital for young people to engage with the democratic process and I encourage yet more local schools to look at the educational resources available in Parliament to help do this."