Keir Mather MP at Escrick Primary School for Parliament week

Escrick Church of England Primary School was visited by Keir Mather MP during Parliament Week, on November 10.

The Selby and Ainsty MP, whose constituency takes in the school, dropped in at the end of a week where children had completed activities linked to democracy and the rule of law.

Mr Mather was involved in an assembly at Escrick COE Primary School (Image: Escrick COE Primary School)

Younger children learned about what Parliament is, whilst older pupils held debates and considered new laws they would like to see introduced.

Mr Mather said: "UK Parliament Week has given me a fantastic opportunity to visit schools across Selby and Ainsty, and it has been wonderful to see children engaging so well with our democracy.

“Schools across our part of the world share the challenges which are impacting teachers and pupils nationally, and it’s clear that staff are going above and beyond to support families through the cost-of-living crisis.

“It brings me enormous joy to visit successful local schools such as Escrick Primary, the like of which provide a warm, welcoming and nourishing learning environment.”

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UK Parliament Week is a week-long national programme initiated in 2011 that aims to get the public to engage with the country’s democratic systems and institutions.

Deputy Headmaster James Broxup said debates held this year between November 6 and November 10 at the school included:

• Should zoos exist?
• Should the voting aged be lowered to 16?
• Should school uniform be banned?

Year six pupils proposed laws to increase taxes on multinational tech giants and social media firms, and making it harder for children to get social media accounts.

Year four children proposed legislation to shut down power plants and using 100 per cent renewable energy sources, and making smoking illegal.

Escrick headteacher Emma Miller said: “We were delighted to welcome Mr Mather to our school for the afternoon and it was lovely to see how engaged the children were with the concept of democracy and politics.

“We are keen to educate children on British values such as: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.

 “We always try to promote opportunities for children to develop critical thinking skills, whether this is holding simple debates and listening to others opinions or even the Pupil Prime Minister scheme we run in Year 6 where children get to make their own political parties and manifestoes."

Question time for the Selby and Ainsty MP from the pupils may or may not have matched representations from the despatch box at the House of Commons.

Mr Broxup said Mr Mather was asked questions by pupils including what he wanted to achieve in in his MP role in this area; what his favourite rugby team was; how he travels to London; and what issues mattered to him.