MP Menzies goes back to school for Freckleton CE Primary visit

Freckleton CE Primary School deputy headteacher Neil Kenyon, who organises the visits to Westminster, invited Mark Mark Menzies to celebrate the return to school by raising the new school flag and meeting Year 6 pupils with key roles.

Among the youngsters involved were head boy Harry Piercy, head girl Ava Fiddler, their respective deputies Frank Butchers and Hannah Leigh, house captains Amy Stone, Joshua Postles, Olivia Rhodes, Grace Wallbank, Ella Sumner, Kaiden Theckston, Renae Matthews and Jayden Finch along with official bell ringer Heidi Wenman.

Mr Menzies thanked teachers and staff for their efforts during the pandemic, saying: “I was delighted to be invited to see the Year 6 pupils and raise the school's new flag.

"It was lovely to see the new head boy and girl announced, along with the house captains, and I also met the school's official bell ringer as well.

"Stood outside, we were able to be suitably socially distanced and the children told me they were glad to be back at school, as were the teachers.

“The school carried out distance learning using YouTube, ensuring ease of access for all.

"I know many other schools have used a variety of different ways to keep in touch with pupils and this seems to have worked incredibly well.

"I am grateful to all of the teaches and school staff who have worked so hard to ensure children’s education continued throughout the lockdown.

“It was a pleasure to meet the children and I know the school has always carried out a yearly Parliamentary trip in the past but has had to miss out this year.

"My office will gladly give details of the Parliamentary Education Programme to any interested schools - Parliament will pay up to 75 per cent of the cost of travel down to London and back and offers a fantastic learning package at the Palace of Westminster.”

Freckleton CE headteacher Rachael Ainsworth said: "Every year, Mr Kenyon, our deputy head and UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador, organises a visit to the Houses of Parliament, but this year was slightly different and we were delighted to welcome Mark.

"We hope to follow up this visit by reviewing our use of Pupil Voice and introducing 'School Parliament' which we hope Mark will come back and launch for us in our next Parliament Week, celebrating British values as part of our citizenship curriculum."

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