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Thirty-two Citizenship students from Year 9 enjoyed a tour of the Houses of Parliament and City Hall on Tuesday 28 April.

We arrived at Parliament at 10am and went through the airport-style security to enter the grounds. We were greeted by our tour guide for the day who gave us an in-depth history of Parliament, including naming some of the famous figures who have stepped foot in the building including Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela and Henry VIII.

1,000 years of history

The tour offered a unique combination of one thousand years of history, modern day politics, and stunning architecture. We got to see inside Westminster Hall, the Prince’s Chamber, hte Members and Central Lobbies and the Royal Gallery.

Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Palace contains a fascinating mixture of furnishings, archives and works of art. We were lucky enough to go inside the House of Lords and House of Commons and discussed which members sit where.

City Hall

After a spectacular tour of Parliament we headed to City Hall for the last half of our trip. City Hall is the home of the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London, who is responsible for issues such as housing, regeneration and economic development in the capital.

We walked around the spectacular building and met with our tour guide who took us into the conference room for an interactive presentation. We learnt about the history of London, the role of the Mayor and how City Hall operates in the capital.

Fantastically educational

On the bottom floor we visited a room which hosts the London Assembly Mayor’s question time every month. There were no events taking place on this day so we were exclusively able to sit in the centre seats, usually occupied by the assembly members. 

We discussed the upcoming General Election predictions whilst admiring the beautiful panoramic view of the Thames outside, to end a fantastic educational trip.  

Dale Mullings

House Co-ordinator