Overview
Aimed at students in KS4 and 5 (13-18 year olds) the pack is designed to be delivered over a two hour period and is split into three parts:
- Part 1: An introduction to Parliament
- Part 2: Introducing the motion and preparing for the debate
- Part 3: Running the debate
Each student is allocated a role guide and assigned to a political party. Clear instructions are provided to students on how to prepare for their role and what to do during the debate.
“Learning about Parliament is so important because it educates young people as to how the government works and how much we are affected by politics. I found the resources informative and helpful as they explained all the different roles in a debate, and I really enjoyed expressing my opinion.”
Year 9 student, St James’s Church of England High School, Bolton
Acknowledgment:
These teaching and learning resources were developed in partnership with the global firm, FTI Consulting. We are grateful for their support in boosting young people’s awareness of our democracy, and the ways we can work together to strengthen society for everybody.
More Lessons resources
More than One Friend
In this lesson about friendship, pupils will follow the story of Digby who is upset when his best friend Anna starts spending a lot of time with someone else. Pupils…
What is Democracy?
This resource pack is the first of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
More Digital Citizenship resources
Raising Awareness
During this assembly pupils reflect on how social media can be an important platform for raising awareness of issues that are important to pupils through the example of Martha Payne’s school…
Online Opinions
During this lesson pupils explore why people see different results when searching for information online. Pupils find out about filter bubbles and consider what impact these have on peoples thoughts…
Being An Online Citizen
During this lesson pupils consider their rights and responsibilities as digital citizens, focusing on how the online world can be used as a force for good. Pupils consider what skills,…
More Diversity and Inclusion resources
People Who Are Special To Me
In this lesson pupils will think about the ‘special people’ in their lives such as family, friends and carers. Pupils will be encouraged to recognise and respect the diversity found…
Mock Parliament Debate
Aimed at students in KS4 and 5 (13-18 year olds) the pack is designed to be delivered over a...
Inspirational People – Gandhi
This assembly is an introduction to the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. Some of the themes that the assembly looks at can be further explored in the lessons: Inspirational…
More Politics and Democracy resources
Controversial issues: guidance for schools
Children are alert to information and images they see in the media. These may graphically influence their view of the world, and not always positively. Graphic images on TV and…
All at Sea: a story about fairness and the rule of law
During this lesson pupils use the story ‘All at Sea’ to explore how a group of citizens should organise a new society under a challenging set of circumstances. Each chapter…
Law Makers (SmartLaw Subscription)
In this lesson students examine what the rule of law is and why we need it. They consider how and why laws are made in the UK and what the…
More Social Action/Active Citizenship resources
Saving Energy
In this lesson pupils will learn what is meant by the term energy source. They will consider how they use energy in their lives and be introduced to the basic…
Inspirational People
In this lesson pupils will learn about what it means to be inspirational. They will develop their understanding of the term through looking at real life examples in the media.…
The Internet: a Power for Good
In this lesson pupils consider how the internet can be a power for good and support active citizenship. Pupils explore a range of case studies before being challenged to identify…
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
Biodiversity: Using the Law to Drive Change
During this lesson, students consider what biodiversity is, why it is essential to all life on Earth and what...
Who’s to Blame? (SmartLaw Subscription)
This activity is based on the case of R v. Dudley and Stephens (1884) – two sailors accused of murdering cabin boy Richard Parker, after being cast adrift on the…
Democracy (Part 3): Why Do We Have Laws?
This lesson forms the final part of a three-part unit on democracy. Pupils learn about democracy and the rule of law. They discover the different roles of parliament, government and…
More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources
Housing Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
In this lesson students explore a range of different housing situations someone can find themselves in. They examine some of the common legal issues concerning housing including common landlord and…
Sexting and the Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson explores what the law says in relation to the sending of sexually explicit images by those aged under 18. The lesson examines two scenarios of young people involved…
Biodiversity: Using the Law to Drive Change
During this lesson, students consider what biodiversity is, why it is essential to all life on Earth and what...
More KS5 (ages 16-18) resources
Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson introduces students to the concepts of their legal rights and responsibilities and explores how the law impacts their daily lives. Students explore the different ages that various laws…
Climate Action: Using the Law to Drive Change
In 2021, COP26 was hosted in Glasgow. It was seen as a pivotal moment in tackling the global climate...
Be Your Own Councillor
Students examine ways in which a fictional town council could spend its budget. They consider the concerns of different...
More resource packs
Related content
Democracy resources for ages 11-18
Political resources for secondary and post –16 students.