UK Parliament Week Tutorial Resource

UK Parliament Week Tutorial Resource

This is a ready-made Navigate resource pack intended for use within college tutorials or sessions. You are welcome to use it as provided or adapt it to better suit the specific needs of your college and students. These resources are designed to support student engagement with key national events and topics throughout the academic year. Please ensure that all activities are recorded on Navigate against each participating student.

Open the editable resource in Canva

This pack is available in both PowerPoint and Canva formats so you can adapt and edit the materials to suit your college's needs.

How to use this resource

1. Choose your icebreaker. At the end of this pack you'll find three icebreaker options designed to introduce the session's theme. Review these and select one that best suits your group's energy, time, and context.
2. Review the tutor notes. Before delivering the session, read through the tutor notes to understand the background and purpose of the topic. These notes will help you feel confident in leading the discussion and provide key points to include in your delivery.
3. Follow the session plan. Use the 30-35 minute session plan as your guide. It offers a suggested flow with timing and activity breakdowns to help structure your delivery effectively.
4. Deliver using the slides and resources. Work through the main input slides, activity slides, and reflection slides in order. Use any additional printable resources provided to support the main activity.

Tutor notes: topic context

What is UK Parliament? UK Parliament makes laws and debates big issues. It checks and challenges the work of government. Members of Parliament (MPs) are your elected representatives and make sure your voice is heard. The work of UK Parliament plays an important role in daily life for everyone around the country.

UK Parliament has three parts:

1. The House of Commons - 650 MPs who are elected to represent their local area, called a constituency.
2. The House of Lords - around 800 members appointed for their knowledge and experience.
3. The Monarchy - the king or queen has a mostly ceremonial role today. They attend the State Opening of Parliament and agree new laws by Royal Assent.

What does UK Parliament do? The work of UK Parliament covers three main areas:

1. Making or shaping laws - the government can't introduce or change laws, or raise new taxes, without UK Parliament's agreement.
2. Checking and challenging the work of government - both Houses do this through debates, parliamentary questions and committee inquiries.
3. Representing people's interests - Members in both Houses make sure the government considers the public's views on issues affecting them.

For more information go to www.ukparliamentweek.org.

Session plan (30-35 minutes)

1. Starter - Icebreaker (5-7 mins). Choose one icebreaker:
   • Icebreaker 1: Who Did It? Match events/decisions to the correct body (MPs, Government, Monarch).
   • Icebreaker 2: Parliament Quiz. Multiple choice questions about how Parliament works.
   • Icebreaker 3: Match Me. Decide which roles/responsibilities belong to Parliament, the Government, or the Monarch.
2. Main tutor input (10 mins). Give students a simple understanding of how Parliament works and why it matters to them. Introduce what Parliament is and who makes decisions, explain how new laws or changes (e.g. voting age to 16) go through Parliament, and highlight why it matters to students with everyday examples (education, transport, social media laws).
3. Main class activity (15 mins). Divide into small groups of 4-6. Give each group one debate question. Decide which groups will argue for or against. Each group discusses for 5 minutes, then one spokesperson shares their view (1 minute). The class votes on the most persuasive argument.
4. Reflection and wrap (5-8 mins). Ask "One new thing you learned today?" Encourage 1-2 volunteers to share. Show the Navigate slide and prompt students to log their learning and reflections.

Debate topics

National / civic issues:

• Should voting be compulsory once you turn 16?
• Should social media platforms do more to stop misinformation?
• Should public transport be free for under-21s?
• Should there be stricter rules on social media for under-18s?

College / local life issues:

• Should students help decide how college funds are spent?
• Should college timetables start later in the day?
• Should mobile phones be banned in all lessons?
• Should students have a vote in choosing their principal or school governors?

Introduction

What is UK Parliament Week? UK Parliament Week is a nationwide engagement initiative run by the UK Parliament. It usually takes place in November and involves thousands of local and national organisations - schools, youth groups, charities, libraries, and community groups - running events and activities related to democracy and political participation.

Why is it celebrated? The week is celebrated to:

• Raise awareness of what the UK Parliament does and how it affects people's daily lives
• Encourage participation in democracy, showing people how they can get their voices heard, contact MPs or Lords, start petitions, or join debates
• Inspire civic engagement, especially among young people, helping them understand that politics isn't just for politicians
• Celebrate democratic values like representation, accountability, and the right to vote and debate freely

Learning objectives

By the end of this session, students will:

• Learn about how decisions are made in the UK Parliament and how it affects you
• Take part in an interactive debate activity
• Reflect on the importance of using your voice and voting
• Record your reflections and participation on Navigate

What is Parliament?

Parliament is where laws are made and decisions are debated. It has three parts:

• House of Commons - elected MPs debate and vote on new laws.
• House of Lords - reviews, suggests changes, and challenges ideas.
• The Monarch - gives formal approval ("Royal Assent") before a law becomes official.

Real-life example: the voting age law change. A new law is debated in the House of Commons, reviewed in the House of Lords, then approved by the King.

Why does it matter?

Decisions made in Parliament affect education funding, cost of living, social media rules, climate change, and more. Now that the voting age is 16, you have a say. Consider: "If you could change one thing in your college or community, what would it be?"

What is the new law?

This year, the voting age has been lowered to 16, a major step in giving young people a stronger voice in UK democracy. The change means that for the first time, 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in all elections, not just in Scotland and Wales. It recognises that young people are already active citizens, involved in education, work, and community life, and should have a say in decisions that shape their future.

Debate

Today, students act as their own mini Parliament to discuss issues that affect young people. For each debate topic, discuss:

• What are the key arguments for and against your debate topic? Try to think about how each side might respond.
• Who would this issue affect most: young people, the government, or wider society? Consider real-life examples or current events.
• What evidence or examples can you use to support your argument? Think about headlines, personal experiences, or well-known public figures.

Reflection

• What did you learn about how decisions are made in Parliament?
• Why is it important for young people to use their voice, whether voting, campaigning, or volunteering?

Democracy only works when everyone takes part. Your generation now has a voice - make it count.

Icebreaker option 1: Who Did It?

Read a series of famous scenarios. Can you guess who did each one? (Bonus point for guessing the year.)

• "In the past, a King was put on trial for treason and executed, a turning point in British history." Answer: Parliament (1649). Parliament tried and executed King Charles I, showing that even the monarchy could be held accountable.
• "A new rule made maths and English study compulsory for any student who doesn't pass GCSEs in those subjects." Answer: The Government (2014). Introduced to help boost basic skills and improve job readiness among 16-18-year-olds.
• "A sitting Prime Minister was investigated for breaking national lockdown rules during the pandemic." Answer: Parliament (2022). MPs and committees demanded investigations and questioned the Prime Minister's conduct.

Icebreaker option 2: Parliament Quiz

1. What are the three parts of UK Parliament? House of Commons, House of Lords, Monarch.
2. Who chairs debates in the House of Commons? The Speaker.
3. In which year did the first women get the vote in the UK? 1918.
4. How many signatures does a petition on the official UK Parliament website need before the Government responds? 10,000.
5. Who officially opens each new session of the UK Parliament by reading the Government's planned priorities for the year? The Monarch.

Icebreaker option 3: Match Me

Provide each group with the three titles (Government, Parliament, Monarch) and eight responsibility strips to match to the correct area.

Government

• Decides how much money is spent on things like healthcare, education, and defence.
• Creates and suggests new laws that are then discussed and voted on by others.
• Represents the country at major international events and meetings with world leaders.

Monarch

• Gives official approval before a new law can take effect.
• Announces the plans for the year in a traditional speech each time Parliament begins a new session.
• Carries out ceremonial duties and represents unity across the nation.

Parliament

• Debates and votes on whether new laws should be made or changed.
• Speaks on behalf of people from local areas, sharing their views and concerns nationally.

Source files attached below.