Making the Most of an MP Visit to Your School

Making the Most of an MP Visit to Your School

Making the most of an MP visit to your school

MPs often like to visit local schools in their constituency. They like to find out about successful initiatives that improve the health and wellbeing of local communities and to find out about issues that they can raise in parliament.

It is also a great opportunity for you to raise the profile of your school with your local MP and get some local press coverage.

If you would like your local MP to visit your school here are some useful tips to get the MP along and to make the most out of the visit.

Inviting your MP

To find the name of your local MP click on here and enter your postcode.

Be specific about the date and time that you would like them to attend but be prepared to be flexible with the time to make allowances for their diary. MPs usually return to their constituency on Fridays, so the Superheroes day scheduled for Friday 4th Mayshould work well for them.

Think specifically about what you would like the MP to do and include this in the invitation.

Suggestions could include:

  • Speak to an assembly for 10 minutes and take questions from pupils
  • Judge Superhero costumes and give prizes
  • Take part in a cycling activity in the playground.

Make sure that you call the MP’s office to check that they have received the invitation. Get a contact name so that you can easily follow up. They should be able to let you know quite quickly if the MP is able to attend.

Before the event

Before the visit, think about what you want to say to the MP. Gather the views of pupils, teachers and parents. These could be issues such as whether there are busy roads near the school that make it difficult for children to cross or a problem with speeding traffic you would like resolved.

The MP will be interested in these issues as they will want to speak to the local Council or raise the issues in Parliament on your behalf.

Tell the pupils about who is coming to visit and why they are important. If you are planning a question and answer session you may wish to get the pupils to prepare their questions in advance.

Other things that you might wish to consider:

  • Make sure that you have a contact telephone number to reach the MP or the MP’s office before and on the day of the event
  • Invite the local press. They may even send a photographer to take pictures of the MP at the event to use in their publication and on their website.
  • Before the day, ask the MP’s office:
  • When they intend to arrive
  • The length of time they intend to stay
  • Whether they need a parking space
  • Let them know (if you are asking the MP to take part in a cycling event in the school) if there is anything the MP should wear e.g. comfy shoes.

On the day

  • Identify one person to meet and greet the MP
  • Introduce the MP to teachers and pupils
  • Make sure that you take pictures.

After the event

Check with the MP/their office whether they would like to contribute a supportive quote to the press release.

Please let Sustrans know that you have had a visit from your local MP, their name and how the visit went. We would love to see the pictures too.

Please email:

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