8 students from Okehampton College in Devon, which is part of Dartmoor Academy Trust, will travel to London for a special parliamentary event in July. Along with pupils from two schools in Cumbria, they will be leading a Roundtable Discussion on matters of religion and belief.
The event will be held in the House of Lords and will be attended by parliamentarians, including local MP, the Rt Hon Sir Mel Stride. The students will also take a tour of the Houses of Parliament, hosted by Lord and Lady Singh.
The event is the culmination of a national two-year funded project with the aim of empowering young people to have a voice as Young Ambassadors for Religious Education. The project has a particular focus on Freedom of Religion or Belief, and students and staff have explored how this relates to their communities, at both a local and national level.
During the Roundtable Discussion, each school will present their activities as Young Ambassadors for RE, bringing questions for discussion to the MPs and parliamentarians present.
Speaking about the project: Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale says: “I am really grateful for this opportunity to promote the importance of Religious Education in our schools to MPs and the government. Young people today are growing up in an increasingly religiously diverse society – they must be equipped with curiosity and respect, and RE is a crucial tool to give them. I look forward to promoting the need to those in Parliament.”
In November 2024, the pupils were involved in the Enthronement service of the Bishop of Exeter, the Rt. Rev’d Dr Mike Harrison. During the service the students led the bible readings and read prayers for the new bishop.
Earlier this year the pupils spoke to the Diocesan Board of Education, and as part of the board’s report pupils’ responses to questions were recorded and played at Diocesan Synod on the 22 March 2025. This was an opportunity for the pupil’s voices to be heard as part of the report.
The students have also made presentations at the Devon SACRE RE syllabus launch in June 2024, taken part in an online parliamentary event in November 2024, and spoken at the Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations at Exeter Cathedral in January 2025.
Another highlight of the project was the community Iftar (Ramadan fast-breaking meal) which the students hosted for the local Muslim community in March 2025.
The project has been managed by AREIAC (the Association of RE Inspectors, Advisers and Consultants) and is funded by Culham St Gabriel’s Trust. Okehampton College has worked with the South West RE Hubs Lead, Ed Pawson.
Ed says, “It has been wonderful opportunity for students from this Devon school to take the lead on a high-profile national project for the South West. I look forward to joining them in Westminster for the culmination of the project.”
Click here for more information on the Young Ambassadors for RE Project.
For Religious Education Support and Information, please contact the Diocese of Exeter Education team: education@exeter.anglican.org