A Level Politics Students Question Member Of The House Of Lords

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TLDR

NEC’s online A level Politics course students took part in a live Learn with the Lords session, where they questioned Bishop David Walker, a member of the House of Lords. The online session covered themes like government scrutiny, House of Lords reform, and religious representation – bringing aspects of the UK Parliament and Constitution to life. Participants explored real-world politics, gained an understanding of the Salisbury Convention, and compared the House of Lords to the House of Commons. The students described the event as useful, engaging, and a valuable part of their online study experience with the National Extension College.

Students on the National Extension College’s (NEC) online A level Politics course recently had the opportunity to take part in a ‘Learn with the Lords’ experience, where young people put their questions to a member of the House of Lords.

The 45 minute online interactive session brought the work of Parliament to life, for NEC’s online A level Politics students, complimenting perfectly our A level Politics Paper 2 study of the UK Parliament and Constitution.

Understanding the House of Lords: Roles & Religious Representation

Bishop David Walker, the Lord Bishop of Manchester, answered the students’ questions.

Bishop David is one of 26 Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords. He explained the historical role of Bishops in the Lords and the representation of other faiths. Students were shown photographs of the inside of the House of Lords to explain its composition, functioning and day to day work, before learning about some of the current debates that have taken place and the work that Bishop David is involved in.

Exploring Power, Accountability & Reform in the House of Lords

NEC’s A level Politics students asked Bishop David a wide range of questions, demonstrating their knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject.

The role of the House of Lords in scrutiny and holding the government to account was a key theme, with students relating this to:

elections
prime ministerial power
manifesto pledges

and displaying the breadth of their knowledge and linking of subject areas.

Students were also keen to know about House of Lords reform and how the appointment of life peers could be improved. This is very topical with the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill reaching its final stages in the parliamentary process.

Religion, Representation & Application of the Salisbury Convention

A number of questions about the role of religious leaders and the representation of faith in the House of Lords were also posed as well as a technical question about the application of the Salisbury Convention, which highlighted the uncodified nature of the UK’s constitution.

Comparing the Houses: What Does the House of Lords Do Better?

Some of the final questions asked Bishop David to consider the importance of the House of Lord’s role; asking what the Lords does better than the House of Commons and which of its roles is most valuable.

Bringing A level Politics to Life for Online Learners

Reflecting on the session, students studying NEC’s A level Politics course commented:

“Honestly I really enjoyed it, one of the harder parts about doing studies online is that it does lack that extra level of interaction with everyone, so it was nice to have that opportunity literally just to see more people doing the same things.” – Morgan

“I really enjoyed the online meeting. I would say it was really useful and engaging. I would definitely recommend to keep doing them.” – Matthew

“I thought it was very useful as a means to consolidate knowledge learned on the course.” – Alessandro

Written by

Sarah Brown

Sarah has been teaching Politics and History for over a decade, from Key Stage 3 to 5. More recently, she has specialised in Key Stage 5, teaching in a sixth form college and tutoring for NEC.

Sarah is NEC subject ambassador for politics, she says:

“I love my subjects and how they connect. The dynamic nature of A level Politics makes it a fun and engaging subject to teach, with no academic year quite the same. I enjoy encouraging students to explore, challenge and evaluate issues and ideas.

“A level Politics is also a fantastic foundation for further study, not just because of the broader perspective it gives students but also because of the huge range of skills it fosters from critical thinking, analysis and debate, through to a well reasoned written evaluation.”

Conclusion: Strengthen Your Understanding of Politics through our A level Online Politics Course

If you are considering studying A level Politics online, NEC’s online A level Politics course explores this dynamic subject and looks at the systems, ideologies, and institutions that shape our world. The flexible, online distance learning course will enable you to gain an understanding of who holds power, how decisions are made, and why politics matters.

Students studying NEC’s A level Politics course, not only get access to our first-class course materials and dedicated tutor support, they are also able to join sessions like the Learn with the Lords one Sarah tells us about above.

Learn with the Lords: NEC A level Politics Students Question Member of the House of Lords