Pupils from a village school have reached to the top of government to find out about crucial issues worrying them.

Children at St Andrew's C of E Academy, Buckland Monachorum have been celebrating an exciting moment after receiving a reply from Downing Street on behalf of the Prime Minister, following lessons on democracy and decision-making and after writing directly to the Prime Minister about key topics.

Children in Pendragon Class explored how the corridors of power at Westminster and Number 10 operated. They learned about ministerial departments, discussed issues they felt strongly about and wrote thoughtful letters to the Labour Government sharing their views and ideas.

The pupils’ letters to the PM covered topics, reflecting their curiosity about important social issues affecting them, families and friends.

Questions included whether electric vehicles will become more affordable, and suggestions on how public transport could be made more accessible for disabled or older relatives and others.

They raised ideas about animal welfare, such as the need for licences for venomous pet. They explored the impact of fast fashion, expressing concerns about waste and the importance of using precious materials more responsibly.

The children have since received responses from both the Transport and Environment Departments, as well as a formal reply from Downing Street, recognising the thoughtfulness of their work and the importance of young people’s voices in national decision-making.

Debbie Nunn, headteacher, said: "This has been a truly exciting and meaningful experience for our Year 6 pupils. They showed great maturity in thinking about important issues and expressing their ideas clearly and thoughtfully.

“Receiving a response from Downing Street has helped bring their learning about democracy to life in a powerful and memorable way."

The response from Defra, about electric cars, said: “Defra is doing a great deal of work to protect people, animals, and the environment from harmful chemicals. We recently published our Environmental Improvement Plan, which includes various things we will do over the next few years to make this happen. Yours sincerely, Ministerial Contact Unit.”

The Department of Transport responded in depth. Here is an excerpt: “Dear Pendragon Class, thank you for your letter of 12 February to Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, Minister of State for Rail, about accessibility for disabled rail and taxi users.

“Thank you for sharing your thoughts and suggestions. It is wonderful to hear that Pendragon Class has been learning about how government decisions are made.

“Every passenger should be able to travel with confidence, and we are working hard to improve the issues you raised.

“We know the gap between the train and the platform can be a major barrier. We are developing a long-term plan for “level boarding,” so trains and platforms line up and boarding becomes much easier.”

The letter also revealed a new app will be launched for disabled people to book wheelchair spaces and suitable seats and a new passenger watchdog will be created to champion the needs of disabled passengers

School staff praised the children for their curiosity and enthusiasm throughout the project, highlighting the experience as a ‘powerful’ example of learning about democracy in action.