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Sixth Form Politics Visit to Westminster

18 September 2026

This week, our Sixth Form Politics students spent the day exploring the heart of UK democracy, visiting the Supreme Court, the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

The trip combined a guided walk through Parliament with the chance to sit in on a live debate in the House of Lords, and students also visited the House of Commons chamber itself, taking in its history and significance as the seat of the UK's elected government. As Matilda F recalled:"We really enjoyed learning the history of the Houses of Parliament and Westminster. We especially loved learning about the suffragettes’ connection to the ‘New Dawn’ contemporary light sculpture."

At the Supreme Court, students also encountered the Court's copy of the Magna Carta, one of the most historically significant documents in British legal history, on display as part of the Court's new permanent exhibition, The Law and Us.

A Winning Campaign

A definite highlight was a mock election exercise, with students forming their own political parties and campaigning as candidates. Grace B, who came away as the winning candidate, described it as “liberating,” adding: Visiting Westminster was the most incredibly promising and beneficial school trip to this date! I had the most fantastic time and couldn’t recommend it enough."

Seeing the Commons and Lords, she said, was “a surreal experience, knowing we were standing inside some of, if not, the most important buildings in the UK.” As a Year 13 Politics student hoping to pursue politics further, Grace also valued the chance to speak with Alex Barros-Curtis MP's Parliamentary Assistant, who shared insight into his own career path.

Bringing Classroom Study to Life

For Politics and History student Gwen M-O, the trip added valuable real-world context to her studies. She explained:"I found the visit to parliament extremely helpful in supplementing to my previous AS understanding of the UK political system, whilst developing my current A level study of the US political system by making me aware of their differences and similarities."

The trip also supported her history NEA coursework on Indian independence and enriched her study of the Civil War through visiting the site of Charles I's trial and the arrest of the five members.

Looking Ahead

There's plenty still to come too. Students are looking forward to a Q&A with a member of the House of Lords next week, followed by a visit and Q&A with Alex Barros-Curtis MP at CSL on 20th November, and then a Q&A with former US Congressman Joe Walsh after the midterms in the United States.

Click on the image below to see more photos from the trip.