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4 April 2023
On Friday 24 March, Dame Andrea Leadsom and her team visited Northampton High School to meet with staff, students and members of the community. In a morning filled with insightful conversations, the MP and members of the GDST school learned more about each other’s work and vision for the future.
Dr May Lee and Mr Henry Rickman, Head and Deputy Head at Northampton High respectively, greeted Dame Andrea Leadsom upon arrival, welcoming her to the school. After learning more about the ethos and spirit of Northampton High School, the MP embarked on a morning of activities where she was able to explore the grounds and meet the student body.
The Hardingstone-based school were proud to showcase their 27 acre purpose-built site, guiding their guests around the wonderful grounds and excellent facilities in two student-led tours. Beginning in the Junior School, Year 3 pupils Rhoda and Eve delivered a marvellous tour of their bespoke classrooms and generously-sized learning spaces. Miss Emily Hair, Head of Junior School, accompanied the girls, revealing the advantages of their well-considered rooms and introducing Andrea and her team to the dedicated teachers and staff members. Leading the second tour of the morning was Deputy Head Girl Marketing, Eliza, a student in Year 12 at Northampton High School. Guiding the politician through the Senior portion of the all-through girls school, Eliza showcased the various specialist classrooms she enjoys learning in and the different study locations the school boasts.
In the second half of the morning, Northampton High’s Student Senior Leadership Team were delighted to learn more about their local MP in an exclusive seminar session. The group discussed a range of fascinating topics including Brexit, refugees, and the Conservative leadership contest. She also spoke about her route to becoming an MP, a long-held ambition since the age of 13, and why she chose a career in politics following a highly successful career in the finance sector. Agreeing on the importance of young people having a voice in political matters and the need for schools to teach critical thinking, Andrea was impressed by the school’s ‘Reach’ programme which encourages pupils to widen their horizons. The Sixth Form students in attendance were particularly interested in hearing insights into the sorts of letters that Andrea receives from her constituents and the key qualities needed to be an influential politician.
Reflecting on the morning, Dr. Lee, Head, said: “A huge thank you to Dame Andrea Leadsom for taking the time to join us at Northampton High, giving us an inspiring and informative open questions forum. We are constantly looking for ways to enrich the learning experience at Northampton High, supporting our students in understanding the world around them so that they can become confident, successful and articulate adults in the future.”
