For the first time, Year 6 took a trip to the Houses of Parliament. The first part of the trip was a fascinating tour of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. With expert guides, we learnt about the differences between the two houses (not just different coloured seats!); the voting system (you vote with your feet); the history of the buildings; the role of the Queen in parliament and much more besides. We were fortunate enough to talk with an MP and a Lord who were preparing for debates in the afternoon.

After our tour, we took part in an interactive workshop about the changing balance of power between the monarch and parliament. As part of the workshop, we met and talked with two aides to the Guildford MP, Anne Milton, who explained how what we think in Guildford makes its way to parliament. We also had the opportunity to talk with two people who work in the Houses of Parliament, one in the Commons library and the other as private secretary to the Speaker of the House of Lords, to learn about what life is like for people whose job it is to support MPs and Lords.

We then took a leisurely stroll across Westminster Bridge and walked along the south bank of the Thames. It was a real pleasure to take an engrossed and engaging Year 6 on this exciting trip.