Last week, pupils at Woodham Burn Primary School were delighted to welcome the Mayor of Great Aycliffe, Councillor Ken Robson, and the Mayoress, as part of their Democracy Week activities.
The visit gave children the chance to hold an audience with the Mayor and Mayoress, where they learned more about how councils work and why it is important that everyone has a voice in their community. Some of the school’s newly elected Class Ambassadors, Lily and Gia, also had the opportunity to meet privately with the Mayor and Mayoress to learn more about the badge of office.
Reflecting on his morning at Woodham Burn, Mayor Robson said: “I was thrilled, as Mayor, to be invited to Woodham Burn School at the beginning of Democracy Week and to be allowed to speak at the morning assembly. What I wasn’t prepared for was the knowledge of the subject demonstrated by the pupils when asking questions.”
As part of the visit, Mayor Robson was made an honorary member of Woodham Burn’s School Council and, in response, has invited the members of the School Council to visit the council offices in the near future.
The visit formed part of a wider week of activities in which pupils across the school prepared and presented speeches for School Council elections. Staff praised the children for their confidence, ideas and enthusiasm in putting themselves forward. It is hoped that opportunities like this will give pupils a first-hand understanding of local democracy, encouraging them to recognise the part they can play in their community, both now and in the future, while also strengthening the school’s links with the wider community.