The assemblies, centred on the school’s core value of respect, gave pupils the opportunity to consider how they can make a positive difference locally, nationally and globally. 

Informed choices across three levels

Children were introduced to a carefully curated shortlist of charities, developed by the Year 6 Deputy Star Leaders. The options reflected three key areas of impact:

• Local charities: Log Cabin, Ealing Foodbank, and The Childhood Trust
• National charities: Cancer Research UK, St John’s Ambulance, and the British Liver Trust
• International charities: WWF, British Red Cross, and Make-A-Wish

Through age-appropriate explanations, pupils deepened their understanding of each charity’s mission,from tackling food poverty in Ealing, to advancing medical research, and protecting wildlife across the globe.

The results: pupils decide

Following thoughtful discussion and debate within their groups, pupils cast their votes. With 99 groups responses submitted, the results were clear:

• Local charity: Ealing Foodbank (50 votes)
• National charity: Cancer Research UK (84 votes)
• International charity: WWF (64 votes)

Other charities also received support, reflecting the breadth of pupils’ empathy and awareness, including The Childhood Trust, Make-A-Wish, and the British Red Cross.

Democracy and British Values in action

This assembly is a strong example of how the school actively promotes Fundamental British Values, particularly democracy. Pupils were not only given a voice but also experienced the full democratic process: learning about options, discussing perspectives, and making informed choices through voting.

By engaging even the youngest pupils in structured decision-making, the school ensures that democracy is not simply taught as a concept but lived as a meaningful, shared experience.

Personal development: making values real

The assemblies make a powerful contribution to pupils’ personal development. Children:

• Developed social awareness and empathy, considering the needs of others locally and globally
• Built confidence in expressing opinions and listening respectfully to others
• Strengthened their understanding of responsibility, fairness and community contribution
• Engaged in age-appropriate ethical decision-making, linking values to real-world impact

The mixed-age structure further enriched the experience, with older pupils supporting younger children to articulate ideas and understand complex issues, promoting leadership and collaboration.

Looking ahead

The chosen charities will now form the focus of the school’s fundraising and community work next year. Crucially, because the decisions were made by pupils themselves, there is a strong sense of ownership and purpose.

This Parliament Assembly structure once again demonstrated that when pupils are given meaningful opportunities to participate, they rise to the challenge, showing thoughtfulness, compassion and a clear commitment to making a difference.