Bassetlaw students get taste of London life at MP '˜Summer School'

John Mann has run the only Parliamentary Summer School for ten years. It brings 40 students who have just finished their GCSEs to the capital for a week at no cost to them. The entire week is paid for through sponsorship and aims to raise the students’ aspirations.

The week began with the students hosting their own Parliamentary Select Committee to examine the impact of drugs in sport during which they questioned the sports minister Tracey Crouch, Paralympic gold medallist Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and the Vice Chairman of the British Olympic Association Sir Hugh Robertson.

They were also invited into Speakers House to meet John Bercow and visited the U.S. Embassy to question their top ranking diplomat.

Wednesday saw them head to the World Headquarters of Pentland Brands, a family run company which owns Speedo, Lacoste shoes, JD Sports and Kickers where they worked alongside their social media team to create new ways to engage with young shoppers.

The final day began with a visit to Lloyds Banking Group in the City of London where they took part in a financial responsibility workshop and met the bank’s young graduates.

John Mann said: “This was the tenth Parliamentary Summer School and was a resounding success. The students were bright, hardworking and engaging and where a credit not only to their parents and schools but also the wider community.”

“The entire week is fully paid for through sponsorship and it doesn’t cost any of the students taking part a penny. The week is about opening the doors that would normally be closed to young people from our area. I would like to thank the students, schools and teachers who took part and will shortly start the planning to make sure next year’s summer school is even better.”