Wera Hobhouse, Member of Parliament for Bath, paid a visit to Weston All Saints Primary School to hear from its pupil Equalities Team.
With a majority representation of SEND pupils (Special Educational Needs and Disability), the group is concerned with how government promotes equality, looking at the subject through the lens of the Rights of the Child and understanding about protected characteristics.
The children invited Wera to meet with them to discuss British values such as democracy, to learn more about her work in Parliament and to tell her about their work and their role as pupil equalities advocates.
As a democratic group themselves, the children were fascinated by the inner workings of parliament and the electoral system. They also asked the Bath MP about how young people can get involved with politics and were particularly interested in how they can utilise their voices to champion inclusion and equality in a collaborative, rather than combative, way.
Teacher Ellie Stone, supervisor of the Equalities Team, said, “The children loved meeting Wera and learning from her first-hand about the workings of parliament, democracy and Britain’s voting system. It has been amazing watching their confidence grow throughout this programme, advocating for equality for all within the school and engaging with global and national politics.”
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, commented, “I was delighted to meet with the WASPS Equalities Team and was so impressed with their work, their knowledge and their enthusiasm to learn about democracy and Parliament.
“It is so touching to see young Bathonians engage with politics in such a positive way; it is essential we continue to allow children the opportunity to voice their opinions in diverse and inclusive spaces.”