Rishi Sunak has praised a special school’s commitment to ensuring its pupils’ voices are heard.
The MP visited the Dales School at Morton-on-Swale, near Northallerton, during Parliament Week to talk to students about democracy.
He held a Q&A session with the school’s sixth form students who asked him for his views and Government’s work on bus and train services, green issues and broadband.
As part of their Parliament Week work, students had also made a series of papier mache heads of leading members of the Government, including Mr Sunak, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary.
He was asked to vote for his favourite and chose the representation of Nadim Zahawi, the Secretary of State for Education.
He said: “The likenesses were very good and it was hard to choose between them. It was great to see the pupils taking part in Parliament Week, to hear them express their views and it was a pleasure to help the school with this work.”
During his visit Mr Sunak spoke to children in the Key Stage 1 classes and joined them in their activities.
Ann-Marie Ellis, headteacher at the school which caters for children with a range of complex learning needs, said The Dales School was pleased that Mr Sunak had worked with the children, hearing what they had to say and encouraging them to make their voices heard.
She said: “We are committed to ensuring our children have a strong voice and that the student council advocates the views of all the pupils in the school.
“Our Parliament Week work helped them to learn and understand how Government works and how it relates to the expression of their opinions and the decisions that our democratic body – the student council – make in the best interests of the school community.”
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