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Students from Toot Hill School in Bingham put the questions they needed answering to the politicians

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With the General Election around the corner, students from Toot Hill School in Bingham put the questions they needed answering to the politicians.
Candidates from the constituency of Newark were invited to the debate including Robert Jenrick (Conservatives), Saj Ahmad (Labour), David Watts (Liberal Democrats) and Robert Palmer (Reform).
Most of students are not old enough to vote yet but that did not stop them putting the politicians on the spot with an excellent wide range of questions.
A packed room of students from Year 7 to Year 13 were present alongside staff to hear the four-person panel.
After giving a brief overview of their contrasting route into politics, the candidates then faced numerous rounds of questions which had been submitted in advance by students from all year groups.
In each round, three students confidently posed their questions to the candidates and each member of the panel had equal opportunity to address the questions.
Real points of difference emerged over policies to young people, provision for schools, votes at 16 and diversity in the curriculum.
Such was the quality of the debate, there was enough interest and questions to double the time assigned for the event but sadly that was not an option.
The event formed part of the school’s wider approach to the General Election in using the buzz created to engage students to participate in political discourse.
In tutor time, students have spent the past week discussing each party’s manifesto commitments and formulating questions, based upon college students presenting the policies of each party
The whole school will get the chance vote in the School Election on 4th July, with a return to using tutor time to discuss electoral systems and to learn both the value and process of voting.
Dr Chris Eardley, Head Teacher at Toot Hill School, said: “I am so proud of our students for showing such maturity and integrity at this fantastic event.
“Students from across our year groups came in large numbers and asked some very deep and insightful questions.
“Our students are keen to make a positive difference to their community and they truly exude our ethos of ‘Work Hard, Be Kind, Take Pride’.
“I would like to thank Mr Law and the History and Politics department for creating this excellent opportunity for our students, as well as the candidates for engaging with our learning community at such a busy time for them.”