Students take part in education inquiry at Houses of Parliament

Telford College students have taken part in a parliamentary debate designed to help improve young people’s experiences in education.

A level student Emily Hill, T-Level health and social care student Meredith Davis, creative media student Ellie Thompson and apprentice Sam Watkins were invited to contribute to the discussion at the Houses of Parliament.

It was the latest meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Education, which has launched an inquiry and consultation into the ‘loss of love of learning’.

Sally Slater, Telford College’s director of sixth form who accompanied the students to Westminster, said: “We were delighted to be invited by Steve Witherden, the chair of the cross-party group, to take part in this debate.

“The inquiry is seeking views on how to ‘reignite the love of learning’, so we selected students from different areas of the college to give a real cross-section of viewpoints.”

She added: “It was fantastic for our students to be able to put forward their views on a national stage, playing their part in helping to shape education for the future.”

The Telford College delegation met at Portcullis House, before heading to the Houses of Parliament for the hour-long debate.

Mr Witherden, the MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr who spent more than 20 years in the teaching profession, then gave the students a tour of Parliament, including the riverside terrace.

Emily Hill said: “Being able to have my opinions and ideas heard felt truly productive. I felt that I was able to contribute towards ensuring education stays inspiring and enjoyable for future students.”

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Education aims to maintain a dialogue between the education sector and Parliament to support improvements to the education system.

It has previously completed an inquiry into how well schools prepare children for their careers with a particular focus on readiness from the workforce, and held round table discussions on knowledge and skills, careers provision, and STEM education.

Pic: Sally Slater, Ellie Thompson, Meredith Davis, Emily Hill, Steve Witherden MP, Sam Watkins and Mathew Kenney