Cumbria Education Trust is proud to celebrate the remarkable achievement of students from The Queen Katherine School (QKS), who recently travelled to Westminster to lead a Roundtable Discussion on Religious Education (RE) with senior political and public figures.
The visit, hosted by MP Tim Farron and introduced by Lord Singh, brought together a distinguished panel including MP Mel Stride and Commissioner for Standards, Daniel Greenberg. QKS students – part of the school’s impressive RE Ambassador programme – showed confidence, insight and maturity well beyond their years as they led a compelling conversation on the role and value of Religious Education in schools today.
The group was accompanied by their RS teacher, Mrs France, whose leadership of the RE Ambassador initiative has created a powerful platform for student voice. Mrs France also appeared on BBC Radio Cumbria’s Faith and Ethics show on Sunday 6th July (listen from 2.50 minutes) where she spoke passionately about the event and the importance of student-led dialogue in RE.
The QKS students were true ambassadors for their school and for the trust – engaging with complex ethical and philosophical questions, representing their peers with intelligence and respect, and demonstrating the immense value of empowering young people through faith and ethics education.
Jane Yates, RE Adviser to Cumbrian SACRE/North West RE Hubs Lead, commented on the visit, “It was an absolute privilege to see QKS students confidently lead a Roundtable Discussion. They are a credit to your school and I look forward to working with Mrs France and your RE Ambassadors next term”.
At CET, we are always seeking to inspire young people to think deeply, act courageously and engage meaningfully with the world around them. The success of the QKS RE Ambassador visit stands as a shining example of this ethos in action.
We are excited by the potential for similar ambassador groups across our trust. With QKS setting such a powerful example, we see a real opportunity to grow a network of student RE leaders across Cumbria – amplifying youth voice on the topics that matter most.
Congratulations again to the students, Mrs France, and everyone involved in this exceptional experience. We look forward to seeing what comes next from our RE Ambassadors.
