What a day to visit Parliament!!!
Today was our Year 6 trip to London to visit the Houses of Parliament, as an entry point to our new topic of Leadership and Rulers. Who knew when it was booked, that it would coincide with the student protests about university tuition fees!
The trip itself was great. We saw the Speaker enter the House of Commons for Prime Minister's Question Time (I bet Nick Clegg wishes that David Cameron wasn't in China today!!). The lobby was absolutely silent as they proceeded in - it was full of pomp and ceremony as only we know how to do. We got an opportunity to go in the House of Lords - a truly mouth dropping experience! The room is so ornate and gorgeous - fancy that being your work place! It was made very clear that we weren't allowed to sit on the red leather seats - only Lords are allowed to do that. I certainly felt very privileged to be able to be there.
We finished up in Westminster Hall which is hundreds of years old. The place of the trials of Guy Fawkes, William Wallace, Thomas More, John Fisher and Charles I, as well as the Laying in State of Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother.
We then had a workshop in Portcullis House to help the children how the voting system works.
We were supposed to meet our coach in Millbank but a policeman advised us to stay away as that was where the trouble was brewing, so we made our way to the gardens by the London Eye to await our coach. An hour and 20 minutes later it arrived! Because of the protest roads were either blocked off or gridlocked. We were cold and very hungry as all our coats and packed lunches had been left on the coach. A mercy dash was made to the nearest McDonalds where 32 hot chocolates were purchased! We finally made it back to school at 5.10pm - nearly an hour later that expected. Thankfully, at no point were we in any danger. I was rather shocked to see the footage on the news. It's a shame really, because I am behind the protest, particularly as the tuition fees increase will certainly affect Emily and possibly Edward, I just don't like the violent aspect.
I was so excited yesterday to find out that I had won a giveaway from the lovely Autumn Mist at her blog here . I'm so thrilled because I have never won a giveaway before. She was celebrating her 200th post and 50 followers, as well as blogging for a year - a great achievement.
That's me done, I think I'm off to my bed after a thoroughly exhausting day. Cheerio!
M x
I've been to the houses of Parliament, too, a few years ago. I found it fascinating (and also tried to sit down in the House of Lords as we were really tired by then!) I thought it was a lot smaller than it looks on television. So glad you weren't caught up in any of the goings-on.
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