PSHE
Living in the wider world
Rights and responsibilities, democracy, media literacy and making informed choices, all within the PSHE Association's core theme.
Political literacy for schools & colleges
Every student should leave school knowing how to use their vote.
Interactive, balanced sessions that explain how power works in the UK, from the council chamber to Parliament. Delivered by a young campaigner who has seen it up close, and mapped to your PSHE and Citizenship requirements.
PSHE · Living in the wider world
Citizenship KS3–KS4
British values
Post-16 enrichment
16 & 17
year-olds can already vote in Scottish Parliament and Senedd elections, and the UK Government has announced plans to extend votes at 16 to all UK elections.
Year 11
students today could be casting their first vote at the next general election. Most have never been taught how.
1 session
covers PSHE, Citizenship, British values and personal development evidence in one go, with a mapping sheet for your records.
Why it matters
Political literacy is enrichment that ticks the boxes and changes how students see the world
Young people are surrounded by political content on their feeds but rarely get the chance to learn how the system actually works. These sessions give them the knowledge and the confidence to take part.
Citizenship
National Curriculum KS3 & KS4
Parliamentary democracy, elections and voting systems, the role of citizens, and how people can take part in their community.
SMSC & British values
Democracy in practice
Democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance, taught through doing rather than a poster on the wall.
Post-16
College enrichment
Tutorial and enrichment sessions for sixth forms and FE colleges that support personal development and prepare learners for life in modern Britain.
What students leave with
By the end of a session, every student can put an X in these boxes
Outcomes are practical. Students leave knowing what to do, not only what to think about.
OutcomesMark one X per box
- I know how to register to voteand what ID I need at a polling station
- I know who represents memy MP, my councillors, and what each of them can change
- I can check a political claimbefore I share it or believe it
- I can disagree respectfullyand make my case with evidence
Why students listen
A young person who does politics, not just reads about it
Close in age, close in experience
I sat in the same classrooms not long ago. Students see someone who remembers what it's like and talks to them, not at them.
Stories from the inside
Real examples from council meetings, doorstep conversations and election nights make the textbook make sense.
Proof that young voices count
Students meet someone their age who has helped win elections. Politics stops looking like something only older people do.
Speaks their language
From TikTok clips to the cost of living, housing and climate, sessions start with the issues students already care about.
Sessions
Pick a topic, or combine a few into an enrichment day
The impartiality promise
Open about my background. Balanced in the room.
I'm active in party politics and I tell students that at the start. It shows them that ordinary young people get involved. My job in your school is to explain how the system works and help students think for themselves, never to tell them who to vote for.
- Every main party and viewpoint is presented fairly, using their own words and sources.
- No party campaigning, merchandise or sign-ups, ever.
- Students are encouraged to question everything, including me.
- Materials are shared with you in advance for sign-off.
- Delivered in line with the DfE's guidance on political impartiality in schools and sections 406 and 407 of the Education Act 1996.
How booking works
From enquiry to classroom in four steps
Send a request
Choose sessions, a date and a time slot using the booking form.
Planning call
A short call to tailor content to your cohort, SEND needs and timetable.
Session delivered
Interactive, discussion-led and paced for the room, with a staff member present.
Follow-up pack
Slides, a follow-up activity and a curriculum mapping sheet for your evidence.
Give your students a first vote they understand.
About me
Hi,.
I'm a young campaigner and an active member of Young Labour. I've spent my time since school knocking on doors, sitting in council chambers and helping local candidates win. Now I bring that experience into classrooms so students can see how politics really works, and how they can shape it.
- Active Young Labour member
- Regular at council meetings
- Campaigner on winning local elections
- Youth engagement
Experience
What I've done, and what it brings to your classroom
Youth movement
Growing Young Labour's visibility and membership
As an active member, I've worked to make the youth movement more visible and to bring more young people into it.
- Organising and promoting events aimed at first-time members
- Creating social media content that speaks to young audiences
- Recruiting and welcoming new members and helping them find a role
- Representing young people's views in wider party discussions
Local democracy
Inside the council chamber
I attend full council and committee meetings, so I know how local decisions get made and where residents can have a say.
- Following budget-setting, planning and scrutiny debates
- Understanding how public questions and petitions work
- Seeing how councillors balance residents' needs against tight budgets
Campaigns
Helping local councillors win their elections
I've campaigned on local election campaigns that ended with our candidates elected as councillors.
- Door-knocking, leafleting and phone banking
- Voter registration drives, especially with young and first-time voters
- Election day organising, from polling station tellers to the count
In schools
Turning experience into balanced teaching
Everything above feeds into sessions that stay strictly impartial. Students get the real mechanics of politics, with every viewpoint treated fairly.
Local power, explained
I've watched the decisions students never hear about
Youth services, bus routes, parks, housing and planning are all decided in rooms like this one. Most students have no idea they can walk in, watch, and even ask a question. My local democracy session shows them how.
Want these stories in your classroom?
Sessions & formats
Six sessions, built for real classrooms
Every session is interactive, adapted for the age group and needs of your students, and comes with a curriculum mapping sheet for PSHE, Citizenship and British values.
Formats
Choose how it fits your timetable
| Format | Length | Group size | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assembly | 20–30 min | A full year group | Launching a PSHE unit, before an election, Parliament Week |
| Classroom workshop | One lesson (50–60 min) | Up to 32 students | Deep dive on a single topic with discussion and activities |
| Enrichment day | Half or full day | Several groups in rotation | Drop-down days and PSHE days covering several sessions |
| Sixth form & college seminar | 60–90 min | Up to 40 students | Tutorial programmes, enrichment, Politics and Law students |
Found the right session?
Booking
Request a session
Choose your sessions, a date and a time. I'll confirm availability and a quote by email, usually within two working days. Nothing is booked until we've both confirmed.
Questions schools ask
Before you book
Where do you deliver sessions?
In person at schools and colleges across London and the South East. Online delivery is available for schools further away.
How much does it cost?
Prices depend on the format, number of groups and travel. You'll get a clear, itemised quote after your request, before anything is confirmed.
How do you keep sessions politically balanced?
Every main party and viewpoint is represented using its own sources, there's no campaigning of any kind, and you can review all materials in advance. Sessions follow the DfE's guidance on political impartiality in schools.
Does a teacher need to be in the room?
Yes. A member of staff should be present for every session, in line with your safeguarding policy.
Can you adapt for SEND or mixed-ability groups?
Yes. Tell me about your group in the booking form or on the planning call and the activities, reading level and pace will be adjusted.
Contact
Let's talk
Questions about sessions, a speaking request, or an idea for working together? Send a message and I'll reply within two working days.
Or email directly:
hello@politicalliteracy.co.uk