As we hurtle towards the UK general election, pupils from across the Loughborough Schools Foundation have been busy polishing their political platforms at the LSF Alternative Election 2024 which will take place next week.

As part of the process, pupils elected their own party leaders for each school from Years 11 and 12 who represent the parties standing in Loughborough constituencies, Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Reform and the Green Party.

Supported by their own campaign teams, the party leaders have been using the ‘real life’ parties’ policies to push their campaigns through the production of promotional materials including posters, balloons, rosettes and flags.

The LSF Alternative election will take place on Monday 17 June when votes will be cast at polling stations, prior to which Hustings assemblies will take place at Loughborough Amherst School, Loughborough Grammar School and Loughborough High School. Party leaders will give a one-minute campaign speech on the real manifesto policies of their party and take questions from the audience.

Whilst the alternative election provides a lot of fun for the pupils, it importantly it raises awareness of the real election and the political issues at play in this historic process.

Miss Sarra Jenkins, Politics Teacher at Loughborough Grammar School, was behind the organisation of the event. She said: “Our pupils are campaigning on real party policies from this election, and they have had to create their own campaign materials and take part in hustings in front of students from Year 7 to Year 13.

In doing so, they raise awareness not only of party-political issues, but of the importance of political education more broadly and exercising the franchise. In an age of mis- and dis-information, we want to ensure that students are excited and engaged by the political landscape but are also critically analytical citizens who can look beyond the headlines.”

Results

Liberal Democrat candidate Daniel won the election by a landslide, gaining 48.6% of votes from Loughborough Grammar School, 41.1% from Loughborough High and 29% from Amherst, respectfully.