This week, primary pupils have been taking part in this year’s Parliament Week festival with events to inform and educate them about democracy and how parliament works. 

Throughout the week pupils from Alton Close and Beech Avenue Primary Schools have been engaged in a range of activities from assemblies, debates, quizzes and voting for the new student council. 

To conclude the festival, local MP Justin Tomlinson attended Friday assemblies and actively involved the pupils in a live debate, getting half the hall to represent the House of Commons and the other half the House of Lords.  A democratic voting process was used to select a campaign to debate on both sides of the ‘House’.   After some toing and froing, a bill was eventually passed before being put to the ‘Queen’ for approval.  The children thoroughly enjoyed the whole event which finished with the announcement of the new Student Council by Mr Tomlinson, all voted in democratically of course!

At Swindon Academy we welcome taking part in this annual event, which sees over 4,500 organisations across the country engaging with, and learning about, the work of the UK Parliament.