GOVERNMENT and Politics students from King’s Ely Sixth Form were given VIP treatment during a trip to Westminster after gaining special access to Downing Street – home to the official residences of both the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer.
It was the first time the school has been given permission to let the Year 12 students walk down the street during their
annual trip, as public access is usually forbidden for security reasons.
The students also went behind the scenes at the Houses of Parliament and the Supreme Court, where they welcomed the chance to sit in the Justice Ministers’ chairs. They took part in an education workshop which evaluated the role of Select Committees as an effective and efficient way of scrutinising government, and were lucky enough to meet George Freeman MP for an intimate group discussion. George talked about his work as an MP and gave the students an opportunity to ask questions.
“This was the best Westminster trip to date, largely due to the variety of activities that we were able to arrange this year,” explained teacher Sharon Jackson. “As we made the necessary arrangements well in advance, we were able to get permission to walk down Downing Street, which added an extra dimension to the trip.”