For this year’s UK Parliament Week (UKPW), pupils at Cheadle Hulme Primary School have been busy debating and learning all about politics.
UKPW also saw the re-launch of our Pupil Parliament, with the addition of a newly elected Department for Health & Care.
Throughout the week, the children were visited by many local councillors, religious leaders and MPs across the political spectrum.
The visitors talked about what inspired them to represent the views of others, what it means to be empowered and the importance of respect.
There were plenty of opportunities for pupils to ask their own questions – and they gave our visitors quite the grilling!
Children across the school were able to meet our local MP who listened to them read letters they had written about the environment, refugees and our community.
Learning and debating in the classroom
From Pre-School to Year 4, pupils in each year group got involved in UKPW, learning all about Parliament is and how it works.
In Pre-School, the children learned about the British value of Democracy.
Using a voting system of marbles, they learned about the power of choice and making decisions as individuals and as a whole class.
Children in Reception also learned about voting and democracy.
They debated which snack they should have during break-time: fruit or crackers?
Candidates put their suggestions forward backed up with reasons for their choice before voting began.
Everyone cast their vote, and the cracker won!
This was a great opportunity for the children to practice their decision-making skills.
In Year 2, pupils held a debate about whether or not Jack was right for how he behaved in the story of Jack and the Beanstalk.
The children learned about discussing both sides of a debate and then forming their own opinion.
After their trip to Chester on Monday, Year 3 celebrated UKPW by having a debate about the Romans.
They linked the debate to their Rights Respecting articles and thought about the process of taking a bill to law.
Pupils got into the spirit of the debate so much that the classroom was like a mini House of Commons!
In Year 4, the children started the week by leading their own mini project, creating and presenting manifestos to the rest of the class before a vote.
Later in the week, the children learned about bill to law.
The pupils spent a whole lesson debating what they agreed and disagreed with in the presented bill about Paddington Bear.
The children were excited to tell everyone about the adapted law agreed as a house which gained royal assent!
Wow — what a brilliant UK Parliament Week we have had!
Thank you to our visitors, staff, and pupils for making this such an engaging and informative week of fun!