In February this year, Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart wrote to all schools in his constituency encouraging teachers to attend the UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador Programme. This programme is a fully-funded three-day course that runs from 1 – 3rd July 2019 and aims to equip teachers with the knowledge to inspire children about British values and our political system.
The pupils and staff of Cherry Burton C of E Primary School near Beverley were delighted to receive the news that their Year 6 teacher, Natalie Redpath, had been successful in securing a place on the UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador Programme.
As a small rural school with 173 on roll, the school faces challenges in ensuring their children have essential links outside of the local community and are constantly thinking of ways in which they can provide this - something Natalie considered carefully when putting forward her application, as well as a key driving force in doing so.
The school works closely with a number of other local rural schools, often sharing in professional development and enrichment opportunities. With this in mind, it is hoped that the benefits of Miss Redpath becoming a Teacher Ambassador will spread to children beyond those attending Cherry Burton School.
Graham Stuart MP said: "I look forward to welcoming Natalie to Westminster to train as a UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador. It's so important that children understand Parliament and democracy, and how they can shape our society through engaging with these institutions; yet these subjects can be quite technical and rely on enthusiastic and well-informed teaching.”
Mrs Dawn Joy, Headteacher at Cherry Burton C of E Primary School, commented: "I am very proud that Miss Redpath has managed to secure a place on this programme. At Cherry Burton Primary School, we are committed to enhancing our children's curriculum and experiences, and this is another way in which we will be able to achieve this."