Grange Primary School wins a UK Parliament Award
by Educate Magazine May 14, 2019 · All News / Primary School News
Grange Primary School in Bootle has won the Speaker’s School Action Award at the Your UK Parliament Awards.
The award recognises its project, led by teacher Carol Minton-Allen, to raise awareness of mental health in schools and within the local community.
The Your UK Parliament Awards were launched to celebrate the work of people all over the UK who make a difference in their communities and beyond.
Award winners were chosen by the Speaker of the House of Commons, a judging panel of MPs, peers and independent judges.
The Your UK Parliament Awards ceremony was hosted by the speaker in the Houses of Parliament.
Carol Minton-Allen, the teacher who nominated Grange Primary School’s project for the award said: “It is an amazing and fantastic opportunity to teach children about citizenship and democracy. It is so rewarding to teach young people from a young age that they have a voice and can make change”.
David Clark, head of education and engagement at UK Parliament, said: “All of the winners have made a huge difference in their communities and beyond, and importantly will also inspire others to get involved and make their voices heard in democracy.
“The Your UK Parliament Awards recognises the successes of those who go above and beyond to engage others with Parliament and democracy, and everyone who won an award should be immensely proud.”
The campaign was designed to raise awareness of mental health in schools and in the local community.
Pupils wrote newspaper articles, political speeches and public statements and held debates, wrote to members of the royal family and held a vote to set up their own House of Commons.
The class formed two political parties and debated in a mock House of Commons debate, with their very own speaker of the house and party leaders.
Students were taught about the different roles within Parliament an invited local member of Parliament Peter Dowd in for a Q&A session.
The children were encouraged to vote for the campaign they wanted to run, using a ballot box, and advertised their campaign with campaign posters and a public statement.
Through the children’s writing, the class won a professional YouTube filming day with Litfilm Fest to record a news report about mental health in schools.
