Earlier this January a group of 20 A-Level politics students from year 12 and 13 travelled to London for an educational trip centred around the ins and out’s outs of the British Government. The trip was led by politics teacher Simon Christian who advertised the trip last term, only 20 spots were available, and they filled up fast. The students began their journey in Piccadilly, Manchester where they boarded the train to London early on Monday morning. After arriving in London and battling the busy winter streets the group went straight to the British Museum where they were able to stroll round and experience cultures from across the globe, from Ancient Egypt to present day, before making their way to their accommodation in Earls Court. During the evening, students enjoyed free time around London to explore the city for themselves. During this time students were able to visit places that weren’t on the itinerary for the trip, such as the National History Museum where the famous Dippy the Dinosaur resides, or Buckingham Palace which is of course home to our Monarch, King Charles.
On the second day of the trip, the students visited Westminster where they were taken on a personal guided tour around Parliament. Their guide took them through the robing room, where the king himself prepares before his royal procession. The House of Commons, where the weekly PMQ’s take place and the House of Lords, where bills are studied and debated before they get turned into laws! Throughout their tour they learned about what goes on in each room, the roles of staff inside the Houses of Parliament, and were able to ask questions about the government itself. The tour gave students a deeper insight into what actually happens within The Houses of Parliament, although having studied it at the Sixth Form, experiencing it personally was truly incredible. After visiting Parliament, the group made their way to the Supreme Court where they were taken on tour of the highest court in England. At the supreme court they sat in both chambers and learned about the history of the courts and what cases the courts deal with, as well as how to become a member of the supreme court. Later in the day, the group travelled by tube, in true London fashion, to Borough Markets for some delicious traditional street food from a multitude of cuisines and to fuel up for the rest of their busy day before heading to their final destination of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square to take in some beautiful artwork by some of the most esteemed artists in the world before they caught the train back to Manchester later that evening.
Overall, the trip was a huge success and an amazing experience for all the students who participated, it was both educational and fun, with tours that engaged students and inspired them and made them more passionate about the subject they are studying. Year 12 student Daniel Lewis, who is also part of his local youth council said he enjoyed the Supreme Court as:
“it was exciting to see where monumental decisions have been made in UK politics, especially around Rwanda, also having the opportunity to sit in one of the judges’ chairs was a once in a lifetime experience, definitely not something you get to do everyday”.
Find out more about A Level Politics here.
Article written by first-year B6 student, Rachel Jane Cowie
This site uses cookies that enable us to make improvements, provide relevant content, and for analytics purposes. For more details, see our Cookie Policy. By clicking Accept, you consent to our use of cookies.