Politics and propaganda: Leighton Park students battle election campaigns

Leighton Park’s Sixth Form Politics students challenged the school community to examine their ideals and engage with the upcoming General Election this Spring in LP’s very own mock election from the beginning of March to the middle of April. 

With eight diverse parties in the fray, spanning from a Reform Party to a Communist Party, including a unique ‘LP’s Own’ party, the spectrum of ideologies and perspectives were rich and varied. Each party crafted campaigns advocating for policies they deemed crucial for the nation.

Each of the eight political parties had to include one Sixth Form Politics student as the leader, alongside at least one Year 7 or 8 pupil and one Year 9-10 student. There were roles shared out between the members with responsibilities for creating videos, designing posters, researching and producing manifestos and drumming up support. The parties launched campaigns, complete with manifestos, posters, and private social media accounts. 

Following the Easter break, the parties took centre stage in Main Hall, presenting their campaigns to the entire Leighton Park community. Each party had two minutes to convince the audience why they should vote for their party, ballots rolled in one by one and with only four spoiled ballots, the number of valid votes from the LP community were at a record number of 81.6%.

The election allowed students to understand the intricacies of political processes and develop their initiative, listening skills and logic and reasoning skills. 

Head of Politics, Richard Duckett, shared his thoughts on the significance of the mock election, emphasising its role in deepening students’ comprehension of Politics. He noted: “The internal election allows the students to gage a deeper understanding of the political world, but it also allows awareness to be raised with younger pupils of politics and policies and hopefully inspire others to consider politics in the future”.

This event not only aids Politics students but also extends its reach to younger pupils, cultivating their ability for nuanced decision-making and aiding a crucial understanding of national governance and civic engagement. 

As the ballots were tallied, the Conservatives clinched victory with 21.4% of the votes, propelled by Will's (Upper Sixth) humorous delivery during his speech. However, closely behind were the Green Party, just eight votes shy, showcasing the profound influence of Leighton Park’s Quaker values on sustainability and the school's commitment to educating about climate change.

Upper Sixth Politics student and leader of the Conservatives, Will, expressed: “Participating in the mock election was a fantastic experience. As I take A-level politics, the mock election process was a helpful revision activity as I had to apply my knowledge of British politics throughout the campaign. Although it was rewarding to win, giving LP students the opportunity to practice their greatest democratic right so that they are hopefully empowered to vote in the actual general election (when they are able), proved to be the most valuable takeaway.”