UK Parliament Education Centre awarded the Sandford Award for Heritage Education 2021

UK Parliament’s Education Centre has been awarded the Sandford Award for Heritage Education, as it prepares to welcome school groups back this autumn.

Opened in 2015, the Education Centre provides students with a unique learning experience, with each visit including a tour of the Palace of Westminster – a World Heritage Site. Sessions are fun and interactive and directly integrated with the UK’s four curriculums, tailored to the age and attainment of different age groups.

The Sandford Award celebrates and promotes high quality in heritage education, with more than 500 heritage sites across the UK and Ireland receiving the prestigious quality mark. The Awards focus on formal, curriculum-linked learning provision, although recognition is also made of informal learning such as family programmes and community outreach.

In awarding the prize, judges for the Sandford Award said:

‘The Parliament Education Centre leads pupils to knowledge of law making and democracy in the United Kingdom and their own place within it, through National curriculum related topics. Either using impressive trips around the magnificent parliamentary site with backup workshops or through detailed and stimulating online sessions, the skilled and professional education team engage with pupils of all ages and key stages. Talking to their own MP or investigating and debating such topics as the suffragettes, pupils learn to question and become involved. The programmes are a must for all young people who live in this country’.

This all comes as the Education Centre prepares to re-open its doors to schools from September. Due to unprecedented demand, bookings for the autumn term are now full, however schools are being encouraged to sign up to Parliament’s Education newsletter to hear about spring bookings.

School visits will be in line with current government guidelines to ensure the safety of all visitors. Online workshops will also continue to be delivered and can be booked via this link.

Amy Baxter, UK Parliament’s Head of Education and Engagement said:

‘I am delighted that the Education Centre has been awarded the Sandford Award for Heritage Education. This is a true testament to the hard work of the Education and Engagement team who have ensured that throughout the pandemic, sessions continued and we could deliver our dynamic programming to thousands of school children. We are looking forward to welcoming school groups back to Parliament and ensuring that young people from around the country get the unique experience of visiting the heart of British politics and learning more about our democracy.