Redhill School teacher will raise awareness of how parliament works

Vicky Brown, deputy head of Redhill School, will work as a Parliamentary Teacher Ambassador in her school, explaining how MPs debates go on to inform the law of the land.

Last year, she and her year 3 and 4 class became involved in a campaign for Finn’s Law, a bill currently going through the houses of parliament which would give new rights to animals working in the police and other emergency services.

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“I certainly wasn’t into politics until Finn’s Law, and the idea with this scheme is now for me to bring back resources for children and teach them about parliament,” said Vicky.

Over the course of a three day course with the Parliamentary Teacher Ambassador Scheme in January, Vicky and 70 other teachers were introduced to the inner workings of the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Vicky met with the speaker of the Commons, John Bercow, as well as the deputy Lords speaker Baroness Garden of Frognall.

She is now bringing what she has learned back to Redhill, with plans to hold a parliamentary month for the whole school to learn more about politics.

She is also encouraging other teachers from Pembrokeshire to enlist with the scheme.

Stephen Crabb MP, for Preseli-Pembrokeshire, met with Vicky while she took part in the training scheme.

“The workings of Parliament can often seem confusing from the outside, but the Parliamentary Teacher Ambassador Scheme is an excellent way for teachers to gain a better understanding and to then pass that on in the classroom,” said Mr Crabb.

“Vicky has already done a great job in getting her pupils interested in politics with her class’s support for Finn’s Law; a proposal for a new law which would toughen the sentences for those who attack and injure police animals.”

For more information about the Parliamentary Teacher Ambassador Scheme, visit parliament.uk/education