My Visit to My Parliament
Story of Parliament
The Education Service
We are the Education Service and we work here at Parliament with
school groups like yours. We teach people about Parliament.
Phil is the Education Centre Manager.
He looks after the Centre.
Arriving
This is the
Parliamentary
Education Centre.
I will come in through
the black door in the
picture.
Coming into the Education Centre
I will go through security.
It is safe. All visitors must do
this.
This happens to keep everyone
at Parliament safe.
Security
I will put my bag, belt and coat in a box.
The box goes through a scanner.
I will walk through a doorway which will
scan me.
After the scanner I collect all my things
from the box.
Have you ever been to an airport?
This happens at airports too.
Setting the alarm off
I might set the alarm off! Whoops!
Metal sets the alarm off. It does not mean I am in trouble.
It means that I will be scanned with another scanner.
The Security Officer might ask me if I am wearing any metal.
Wearing a lanyard
Everyone who visits Parliament must wear a security pass or ‘lanyard’.
I wear it around my neck.
If I find the necklace itchy, I can tuck it under my collar.
I will keep the pass showing at the front so people know I have been
security checked.
Toilets
I can go to the toilet before my tour and after my workshop.
If I need the toilet at another time, I can tell my adult or teacher who
can ask the Education staff.
Discovery Space
In the Discovery Space I will watch
a film about Parliament.
The film will be on all the walls
around me.
I can sit at the front, in the middle
or at the back. It might be dark in
the room.
If it is too loud I will ask the
teacher to turn it down.
Tour
After the film, an Education Assistant will show me around the Palace of
Westminster.
The Education Assistant will tell me their name.
Often groups are split in two. Our groups might go to different places.
Our groups will be together in the workshop later.
Turnstiles and doors
Some doors in Parliament are very old and heavy.
I will go through security doors and turnstiles.
These keep everyone safe.
Education Assistants will open the doors for me.
They might
look a bit
like these.
Rules
The rules at Parliament are like the rules at school.
Two important rules are to listen carefully and to walk sensibly and
quietly.
People are allowed to take photographs in the workshop, in St
Stephen’s Hall and in Westminster Hall.
Questions
If I would like to know something, I can ask a question.
I will put my hand up to ask a question like at school.
Education Assistants like answering questions about Parliament.
They might ask me questions too.
If I do not know the answer to a question, I could have a go.
Education Assistants will not mind if I am wrong.
They like it when people answer questions.
Different people in Parliament
Lots of people work to keep Parliament safe.
Some Police Officers at Parliament carry guns. They carry these to keep
everyone safe.
These would only be used in an emergency.
Smile at the Police Officer and they may smile back!
Doorkeepers wear black suits
with a special gold buckle on
the front.
Their job is to make sure
people only go into rooms they
are allowed in.
House of Commons and House of
Lords
MPs, Lords and Baronesses work in these rooms.
I might not be allowed inside them because they are working.
I might watch from upstairs in the Public Gallery. I can sit down up here.
If I go inside the chamber, I must not sit down. Only MPs, Lords and
Baronesses are allowed to sit down in these rooms.
Annunciators
I will see some TV screens. These are
called annunciators.
The screens with a red background
tell everyone what is happening in the
House of Lords.
The screens with a green background
tell everyone what is happening in the
House of Commons.
Annunciator bells
A loud bell tells MPs that they need to go and vote.
The bell rings twice and is very loud.
If I do not like it, I can cover my ears.
The bell also rings when the Parliamentary day starts and ends. Does this
happen in your school?
The annunciator makes a quieter ‘bing’ noise when a different person
starts talking in the House of Commons or House of Lords.
Questions
Questions
Answers
Do people who work at Parliament get security
checked?
People who work at Parliament have a special security
check before they can start working there.
Why do some people wear plastic passes?
People wearing a plastic pass work here.
What if I don’t feel well?
If you don’t feel well, tell your teacher.They will ask
someone who works at Parliament for help.
Can I eat here?
Your teacher will organise where you will eat on your
trip. You won’t eat during your tour and workshop.
Key vocabulary
Key Vocabulary
Explanation
Similar words
constituency
The area where people live. The country is split into 650 constituencies.
Area; part; place where people live.
election
Where people are chosen to do a job. For Parliamentary elections
everyone over 18 can vote to choose them.
Choosing MPs; voting to choose an MP.
Government
The government is the group of people in charge of running the country.
It is made up of people from the biggest political party in Parliament.
People who run the country; the Conservatives (the governing party
2015-2020).
Houses of
Parliament
laws
This is the name of the building that Parliament meets in.
Palace of Westminster; ‘Parliament’.
Laws tell us what people can and can’t do and what will happen to help
the country run. (E.g. Soon people will not be allowed to smoke in cars if
there is a person under 18 in the car too. This is to keep people healthy.)
Rules.
legislate
monarch
MP
Parliament
The process of making a law.
The monarch is the King or Queen
MP is short for ‘Member of Parliament’.
The place where Members of Parliament and Lords work to make laws
and represent you.
A group of people with the same ideas about how the country could be
run the best. Not all political parties have seats in Parliament.
Writing laws; making laws.
King; Queen; Queen Elizabeth II; sovereign.
politics
represent
The ways people decide how to run a country.
MPs speak for the people who live in their constituency.
Decision making.
Speaking for.
scrutiny
To check and look into the decisions that are made in Parliament.
Checking; looking at someone else’s ideas/work.
political party
Group; team.