Visit to The Houses of Parliament – July 2019

Report from a Reading Girl’s School Teacher:

“This week a group of students, mainly school council representatives, joined schools from the Whitley area on a visit to the Houses of Parliament. They arrived early so there was time to walk through the park next to Parliament to admire the views of the Palace of Westminster and the Thames.

The visit started with a tour of the Houses of Parliament including both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The students saw the Queen’s throne that she uses for the state opening of Parliament, and her robing room, including Queen Victoria’s throne. They also saw Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the buildings, and MPs’ pigeon holes for messages.

Students then took part in a workshop on Laws and Debating and had an opportunity to discuss what they considered the most pressing problems facing the country. They also heard from the staff of MP Alok Sharma about their roles and the work of MPs.

Ashleyne Reen commented: “It was such an amazing experience! Now I know the history behind the Houses of Parliament and what the House of Commons and House of Lords are used for. I participated in workshops too. First we learnt the stages of a law being made, in which I would be able to explain, then we understood the role of an MP (Member of Parliament) and how to get in touch with the Reading MP Alok Sharma.”

This very inspirational visit was kindly sponsored by the Whitley Excellence Cluster and Aspire2 who we are glad to work with and be supported by.”

More pictures of the trip can be found here.