From the West Midlands to Westminster: Year 13s tour Parliament with Sureena Brackenridge MP

Following a working lunch at the nearby Department for Education with Regional Schools Directors, our seven Year 13 students crossed Whitehall to the Houses of Parliament, where they were given a personal tour by the MP for Wolverhampton North East, Sureena Brackenridge.

Sureena is a regular and welcome visitor to Wednesfield Academy, and her own background made this experience particularly resonant for our pupils. Born and raised on the Ashmore Park estate in Wednesfield and a former pupil of the school herself, she spent 25 years teaching science in local secondary schools—and served as a Deputy Headteacher—before entering Parliament, where she also sits on the Education Select Committee.

As she guided the group through the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and out onto the roof terrace where only MPs and their staff are usually permitted access, Sureena’s message to our students was clear: this is your Parliament. She emphasised that Westminster must reflect the communities it serves, and that no young person from our area should ever think a career in politics at the highest level is beyond them.

In their post-visit evaluations, our students highlighted seeing the chambers first-hand as a standout memory of the day. They noted that the tour gave them a practical understanding of how laws are debated and passed to benefit young people, leaving 100% of the group feeling more confident in advocating for themselves and expressing their ideas.