On a showery day in the capital, nine pupils from our schools in Essex, Ealing, and Stratford came face to face with political past and present. Stories of treason, beheading and political dissent kept our youngsters captivated in what at first glance, seemed a challenging environment to engage teenagers.

Our tour guide Jim took us through Westminster Hall, the House of Lords and the House of Commons, showing us where William Wallace and Guy Fawkes stood trial, and where our only Prime Minister to be assassinated, Spencer Perceval, was shot in 1812. Talk of Oliver Cromwell and King Charles I peppered the walk through grand corridors and elaborately decorated chambers - "Miss, does the Queen choose the wallpaper?"

The outing was kindly arranged by Lord Herman Ouseley, Founder and Chair of the Kick it Out campaign. Having met with TCES earlier in the year, he was keen for our pupils to come and see how parliament operates. Knighted in 2011 for his services to govenment relations and the community, Lord Ouseley is also Chair PRESET, an education and employment charitable trust, which aims to empower young people through needs focussed training and support.

The pupils all seemed to enjoy the visit, and Mikel from the North West London school said "It's good to see all this stuff, I didn't really know what it was all about before". Amy from Essex Fresh Start was excited to have made her first trip to central London, saying "I've always wanted to come here, and seeing Big Ben like this is so cool!". A big 'Well Done' to all the pupils for behaving so well on the tour, you did your schools proud.