Springfield pupil power shows Westminster how Parliament can make a difference

​Pupils from Springfield Primary School in Sunbury did their bit to make England a green and pleasant land the other week as they took part in the nationwide Clean for the Queen tidying up programme.

​The scheme, launched to mark the monarch’s 90th birthday, encouraged individuals and groups to get involved in improving the cleanliness and quality of life in their own area, and members of Springfield’s pupil parliament voted to act locally – and were shocked by what they found.

“The children collected 11kg of rubbish and litter which people had discarded in the area around the school,” said Year Four teacher Natalie Parsons, who, along with fellow teacher Hannah Gregson, helps organise the pupil parliament. “The children were amazed by how much junk they found, and I think it actually motivated them more to make a real effort at improving the quality of our local environment.”

The clean-up campaign is just the latest in a series of initiatives instigated by Springfield students through their pupil parliament, which is divided into two sections – teaching and learning, and well-being.

Each class puts forward two members for meetings which take place every other week. Teaching and Learning get involved in decision making on academic matters, such as have recently instituted a trophy for the class that reads the most each week, and well being deals with matters like charity projects, environmental projects – like the clean-up.

Parliamentary members from Springfield, a member of the Surrey-based GLF Schools multi-academy trust, have even had a chance to visit the ‘other’ Parliament – at Westminster.

“After the clean-up the children were rewarded with a picnic, and they really deserved it, not just for that day’s work but all their efforts this year,” said Miss Parsons. “The parliament has been a hugely productive and had a real impact on school life – and in this case, life beyond school too, out into the wider community. They should feel very proud of themselves. We certainly do.”