A fantastic day at Parliament for our Year 10s

An early start for the Year Tens, who arrived promptly to head off to Westminster at 8 AM. On arrival, we were ushered into the education unit, where we were quickly engrossed in a 360-degree film on the history of Parliament, consolidating our learning from the Magna Carta to the role of Parliament today.

We then embarked on a tour of both Houses, stopping off in the King’s Robing Room. It was incredible to see and be surrounded by elements of the Citizenship curriculum—Hansard, the Aye and No lobbies, and even standing next to the Prime Minister’s dispatch box.

Students showcased their excellent knowledge when questioned by the tour guides about the most powerful chamber and the process of becoming part of the House of Lords. Their insightful answers made Barking Abbey staff very proud.

The highlight of the tour was meeting our local MP, Nesil Çalışkan. We were honored that she took time out of her busy schedule to speak to us and answer our questions. Her insights were invaluable, exposing students to new concepts such as collective responsibility and providing updates on government plans for Barking, including ensuring a GP surgery at Riverside, increasing the number of schoolteachers, and commitment to providing affordable housing in the local area.

Students posed some thought-provoking questions:

• How did she become an MP?
• Would she always vote with her party whip?
• Did she feel that the Trump presidency was impacting Labour’s plans in government?

Reflections from Students:

Sara from Longbridge Road shared her thoughts on the experience:

“It was really informative; meeting our MP and asking questions was a real eye-opener. Working in Parliament is really demanding—I can’t believe MPs work from 10 AM to 10 PM!”

Obaid from Sandringham Road also reflected on the day:

“I preferred the House of Lords—all that gold! It was much smaller than I expected. I learnt that there aren’t enough seats for all the MPs in the House of Commons.”

The day ended with a walk across Westminster Bridge and a trip on the London Eye. Though the sun wasn’t shining, the views were spectacular.

A huge thank you to Mrs. Sutherland and Mr. Cope for their support on the day. Well done to all the students who attended, they showcased our school’s best habit of Excellence throughout the trip!