Dan Norris MP took up a ‘hot seat’ with politics students at Sir Bernard Lovell (SBL) Academy in Oldland Common as part of UK Parliament Week 2024 (18-24 November).
The North East Somerset & Hanham MP was questioned on a range of issues, including lowering the voting age to 16, accessible transport and support for pensioners.
Mr Norris toured SBL’s repurposed sixth form learning accommodation, now in full use after extensive work during the summer which gave sixth form students their own separate learning space. Previously their base was part of SBL’s 11-16 accommodation.
As part of their studies, Year 12 politics and economics students visited the UK Parliament earlier in the month.
Mr Norris said, “It was terrific to engage with so many of the students and to be quizzed in a thoughtful and challenging way on a range of topical issues. I’ve visited SBL many times over the past 25 years or so, and have always been impressed by the levels of enthusiasm of students of all ages.
“Recent accommodation changes are helping empower sixth form students to take even more responsibility for their own learning and it was good to see this for myself.”
Chantelle Eccleshall, Director of Post-16 at SBL and Headteacher Dr Robin Bassford took Mr Norris on a tour of the Post-16 accommodation. SBL is a Futura Learning Partnership school and during his visit, the MP also met with Futura’s Chair of Trustees, Malcolm Broad MBE, and CEO, Gary Schlick.
Dr Bassford commented, “It was a pleasure to welcome Dan Norris MP to Sir Bernard Lovell Academy and meet with him to discuss the current educational landscape. We are grateful for his seal of approval on our revamped Sixth Form Centre of Excellence. Mr Norris’s visit provided a wonderful opportunity for our politics students, who recently visited parliament, to engage in lively debate with him and learn more about the dynamics of government.”
UK Parliament Week is an annual event raising awareness of what UK Parliament is, what it does, and how people can get involved. Interested schools and organisations can sign up at www.ukparliamentweek.org to receive a free resource kit in advance of the 2025 event to help plan any related activities.