A teacher from Warcop CofE school enjoyed a 'surreal' visit to the Houses of Parliament as part of the UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador Programme.

Billy Jones, the Class 3 teacher at Warcop School, successfully earned a place to attend the event  in the Houses of Parliament, where he met with local MP, Dr Neil Hudson to discuss the work of the UK Parliament and our democracy. 

The UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador Programme tools participants with a better understanding of our parliamentary democracy and shows them how they can better engage with the work that takes place in Westminster.

It is a well-regarded scheme and, since the start of the scheme, hundreds of teachers have been trained, who themselves have gone on to train thousands more of their students and colleagues. 

Billy is the first teacher from the Penrith and The Border constituency to take part in the 3-day immersive training programme in Parliament.

Over the course he heard from Members of Parliament and those who work in key roles across the parliamentary estate as well as other educators from across the country. 

Dr Hudson was pleased to meet Billy in Westminster and hear about his progress in the course. They discussed the need for greater political literacy among young people in order to produce engaged voting citizens of the future - a core tenet of our democracy. 

"Attending this training programme was a truly unique experience," said Billy.

"The diverse range of speakers - from MPs to peers, doorkeepers to broadcasters - provided invaluable insights into the inner workings of our democratic system.

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"It was a pleasure to meet and collaborate with teachers from across the UK, and to do so within the Parliamentary Estate was just surreal. 

"I am excited to initiate projects with my students to inspire them to become active members of our democracy which I think is particularly important here, where Westminster can seem so far away."