Two students from Ernulf Academy in St Neots visited the Houses of Parliament to network with MPs, fellow students and eco representatives.

The 'Teach the Future’ and ‘Let’s Go Zero’ Parliamentary Reception was held to discuss the decarbonisation of schools.

Ernulf pupils Dylan and Edward, chair and vice chair on the school’s eco-committee, were invited to attend the prestigious event, attended by a small number of other schools.

As part of the ‘Let’s Go Zero’ campaign, the students, accompanied by assistant principal Cheney Payne and Astrea Academy Trust’s national Geography lead Rob Chambers, attended a Parliamentary reception at the Houses of Parliament, hosted by MP Nadia Whittome.

The idea behind the meeting was to gather cross-party support from all the major political parties to agree to spend substantially more money in updating school buildings, retrofitting, repairing and rebuilding to a 21st Century ‘green’ standard, in order to decarbonise schools.

Campaigners and stakeholders are aiming for schools to become net zero, or not contribute any more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, by the year 2030.

Eco-committee chair Dylan, and vice-chair Edward, met St Neots and Mid Cambs MP Ian Sollom, and spoke to him about the challenges.

Students spoke to MP Ian Sollum at Parliament.Students spoke to MP Ian Sollum at Parliament. (Image: Astrea Trust)

Dylan, a year 11 student, said: "It was an amazing opportunity to be invited to discuss the state of our schools with local government representatives in such a prestigious building".

Edward, a year 9 student, added: "It was great to meet so many like-minded people and discuss how we could adapt our schools to be more environmentally friendly."

Thomas Fisher, interim principal at Ernulf Academy said: “What an amazing experience for our Ernulf pupils, I am so pleased they could attend such an important event.

"Many thanks to Cheney Payne and Rob Chambers for organising and facilitating our representatives from the school eco- committee, who were brilliant ambassadors for Ernulf at the Houses of Parliament.” 

All schools in the Astrea Academy Trust are signed up to the ‘Let’s Go Zero’ pledge, a national campaign for all schools to be zero carbon emitters by 2030.