Chilton Primary children have been invited to the Houses of Parliament by East Thanet MP Polly Billington who was impressed by them during a fact finding visit to the school.
Junior Leadership Team members were keen to meet Ms Billington who was elected to the constituency at last year’s General Election and they asked their guest probing questions about the day in the life of an MP and her reasons for wanting to become a member of parliament.
She gave the Chilton young leaders some invaluable advice for becoming successful campaigners and then welcomed them to see the Palace of Westminster later this year.
The MP said: “It was fantastic to be at Chilton Primary and to meet their impressive Junior Leadership Team. We know that young people like Dixie, Seth, Ruby, and Xanthe thrive when they are given the opportunity to make their voices heard, so it was really inspiring to see the support Chilton is giving to all their pupils to learn from each other, be decision-makers, and engage with the issues facing our community in Thanet.”
Xanthe spoke for the JLT and said: “Ms Billington was so kind and friendly. It was fascinating to hear about what drove her to want to be an MP and what her daily life is like. She really inspired us with ideas for how we can achieve our goals in school.”
The MP also joined Head of School Alex McAuley, his deputy Hannah Cheshire and Executive Head Teacher Michaela Lewis of the Viking Academy Trust – which includes Chilton –for a guided tour of the campus.
She spent time speaking with children, seeing some of their amazing work and experiencing all that Chilton has to offer.
Mr McAuley said: “It was a privilege to welcome Polly Billington MP to Chilton Primary and not only showcase the great work that happens here, but also have her further inspire our children to impact positively on our community.”
Miss Lewis said: “This was a great opportunity for the leaders at Chilton to show our local MP the school’s fantastic offer, as well as share with her our short- and long-term goals and how she can support us with projects we are passionate about.
“Our Trust schools are keen to present the importance of democracy and how it works to all our children throughout the school year. Ms Billington’s visit and the time she spent being interested in our pupils demonstrated her love of democracy and underpinned its importance for our children.
“Chilton’s pupils were perfect ambassadors during the visit and we are proud that Ms Billington enjoyed their company and was impressed with her time enjoying seeing Chilton in action.”
More news concerning Polly Billington, once again visiting somewhere marvellous, I just wondered when we might see fewer visits and grandstanding in the House of Commons.
Maybe she could let us know if she’ll set up a constituency office and have regular surgeries for constituents.
So far, we’ve got an Instagram website and little else.
On the plus side she hasn’t performed on Ticktok, I think.
I must say that it’s a surprise that she doesn’t appear to have a constituency office or a phone number.
Bring back Sir Roger Gale at least he understood that he represented constituents not himself.
Blimey, can it really be Tony ‘Big News Margate’ Flaig? How I miss the days of blogs like yours, Eastcliff Richard (where now?), Thanet Life (R.I.P. Simon), Thanetwatch (Tongue-lashing, pre-disabled), Margate Architecture (until she got obsessed with stopping Arlington Tesco), Thanetonline (ditto Pleasurama), etc. Apparently there was even a blog called “Naked in Thanet”! (Anti-)social media has killed-off independent blogging.
Fear not! She’ll be replaced by a Reform MP before too long!
I doubt that vry much. The party is already falling apart.
Oh dear! Here we go again, Polly bashing.
I know she’s a woman, and wears a red coat, so of course she us beyond the pale.
MPs tend now to use community centres and gave security guards with metal detectors, because of threats from trolls.
Because it is a new constituency I suspect it doesn’t have an office, so maybe Polly ought to hire a place.
What’s all this about Sir Rog he hasn’t died has he? He has his own baliwick so why would he appear in someone else’s constituency?
I suspect Sir Rog is so out of sync with his own mob that he is keeping schstum.
Isn’t Poll’s office in Islington or Camden? Still, I’m glad she’s finally discovered the ancient hamlet of Chilton.
George, we have constituency MPs so that they can er? Represent the people, not inflate their social media accounts, even if they like to grandstand by taking every chance to voice their opinions in the House of Commons.
I contacted a few labour local councillors three months in, and they didn’t clue what, if any, arrangements existed for constituents to interact.
For a large number unfamiliar with Polly’s Instaspam account, email address Polly is unavailable.
Yes, Peter. Well, the world moved on and the fun went out of blogging. Thank god, for Kathy Bailed excellent and professional. Miss blogging never been sold on social media.
So Paratrooper Polly visits an infants school on a fact finding visit, what facts? Maybe she thinks the pupils are going to vote for her in what, 13 or 14 years time, my guess is NOT! Why can’t she get round and answer emails instead of galivanting around trying to get media exposure?
Young children are less likely to ask “difficult” questions than grown adults.
Dumpton- perhaps Ms Billington visited the school so that some of the children could learn something about politics. As the article says, it was also an opportunity for her to learn about the school and its pupils
Someone who was parachuted in and hasn’t opened an office 6 months after being elected is hardly a good example to these children. Long-serving and popular local MP Sir Roger Gale would be far better.
(Primary) children could learn something about politics??? Children need to LEARN to read and write first. Only then can they LEARN the real things that matter, like qualifications for work, respect for other people, respect for their enveronment and community.
No doubt the woke teacherati (who are doing more damage than their labour idealologue masters (the labour party) are only too keen to brainwash our children by this sort of woke political indoctrination.
The problem with all (state) schools is the teachers. Poorly educated themselves, probably a couple of CSE’s and a third rate degree in ‘sociology’ they have little to offer their students other than peddling anything to do with their rotten woke/libertard/Disney mindset.
Teachers, go to school, go to another school, and then teach. No life experience, No real skills… useless for anything other than playground duty.
I like Disney.
Alex Peters- I taught children for several years- children between the ages of seven to sixteen. have tou taught children?
By the way , is “libertard” a portmanteau word for “liberal retard”?
“you” not “tou”
Portmanteau… isn’t that near Swansea?
Alex Peters- not all teachers do teacher-training courses immediately after leaving school, and teaching is a “real skill”.
You remind me of some of my teachers. They were left-leaning, humourlous and quick-tempered too. Couldn’t wait to leave and earn decent money labouring on building sites!
Everyone goes to school. Some have further training. Many then start a career – without any life experience.
Some become mechanics. Police officers. Nail salon technicians. Teachers. Nurses. Lawyers.
Before they took up their first job, they had no previous experience.
Your point being what?
George Nokes- have any of the other commentators here shown any previous interest in local primary schools?
Yes, I went to one!
I’m assuming that you did not.
… and why ask George? Unlike you and Phyllis, none of us know each other in the outside world.
I don’t know anyone called Phyllis and I’m very glad I don’t know Peter Checksfield. Checksfield has made several comments saying that children are lazy and fat.
Of course, young children often ask difficult questions.
That is a shame. Phyllis often defends you on here, and as you both live in (and love) Ramsgate, you’d probably get on well. We all need friends.
And yes, many children these days are lazy and fat (the “fat” bit is confirmed by official obesity rates).
re 12.17 comments-and “Have” not “have”
Strange choice of words from someone who gets upset when someone else calls them names. Double standards?
She clearly has anger issues. Hope she has therapy.
Mr. Brown- no. He called me a whore, I’m calling him a twat.
Angry liar.
I’ll pray for you.
That is rather unbecoming language for a woman. Not something I was raised to hear. Maybe it was different in your country?
There are several to my knowledge constituents who are furious about the tardy communications and lack of constituency support, like an office, surgeries and a telephone.
It’s reminscent of trying to get a GP appointment, how to negotiate the cheapest energy deal or any other service come to that.
British democracy is pretty unrepresentative at the best of times but this stonewalling either through incompetence or design is one enormous urine sample.
It was yet another Labour own goal putting her here, especially when we have locals like Karen Constantine and Helen Whitehead who genuinely love and care about the area and its constituents.
Helen Whitehead loves and cares for the area and its constituents?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Less than useless Whitehead (dontcha love her “pre-teen-filtered” publicity photo) is only interested in…. well, feeling important. I guess that’s because she’s absolutely useless as any thingelse.
You prefer Polly?
Both tarred with the same brush… completely incompetent attention seekers.
Neither has made a single tangible contribution to Thanet.
Polly Billington makes me bilious! As does the entire Labour Party!