Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert joined an assembly at Thakeham First School on Friday morning (15 January) to speak to the children about British democracy and the role of Parliament.

Mrs Sam Norton, the headteacher of Thakeham First School, invited Mr Herbert to talk to the children about his work as an MP as part of the school’s ongoing learning about British values.

All schools must now promote British values through the curriculum as part of the children’s spiritual, moral, social, and cultural (SMSC) development.

Thakeham First School are inviting a number of local people to speak to the children as part of their learning on this theme. Thakeham Parish Council and West Sussex Member of Youth Parliament, Stephen Gearing, will also be visiting the school this term.

Mr Herbert spoke to the children about elections, the work of Parliament, and how laws are debated and made during an interactive assembly. The children also had the opportunity to ask him a wide range of questions they had prepared.

Mr Herbert was given a tour of the school after the assembly, with Mrs Norton and Adam Phillips, Chair of Governors.

Mrs Norton said: “What better way for the children to find out about democracy than through our local MP Nick Herbert, who accepted our invitation to lead an assembly at our school on democracy and his role in this. This helped to deepen children’s understanding about what this meant for them as individuals and our country as a whole. The children listened intently to Nick Herbert talk and were keen to ask questions.”

Kendra, a pupil at Thakeham First School, added: “We have a School Council who help us have our say about what happens in school. I enjoyed finding out about Mr Herbert’s job as an MP and how democracy affects us when we are grown up too.”

Nick Herbert said: “I was delighted to have been given the opportunity to speak to the children, and to help them understand how Parliament works. It is important that they learn about democracy and its central place in our values and society.

“I was very impressed by the questions that the children asked me, and enjoyed my visit.”

ENDS

Notes

1. Photograph – left to right, Mrs Sam Norton, Olly Pengelly, Annabelle Doyle, Nick Herbert and Adam Pranskus.

2. To read the Government guidance on promoting British Values in schools, issued in November 2014, see https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/380595/SMSC_Guidance_Maintained_Schools.pdf.

3. According to Ofsted, British values are:

- democracy;
- the rule of law;
- individual liberty;
- mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faith

MP speaks to Thakeham schoolchildren about British democracy