Ming Visits York Outer

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 6th Jul 2007

Sir Ming Campbell and Madeleine Kirk meet pupils at the Joseph Rowntree Secondary School

Sir Ming Campbell, leader of the Liberal Democrats spent the morning visiting schools in York Outer with Madeleine Kirk. Their first stop was the Joseph Rowntree Secondary School In New Earswick to discuss with staff and the development team how they are working to incorporate environmental sustainability as a core element of the rebuilding of the school. Ming was very impressed that the team had consulted widely with the pupils and the community about their ideas for the redevelopment and viewed some of the ideas that had been put forward which were on display.

He also met with a number of the students and had a lively question and answer session with them answering questions ranging from the proposed increase in school leaving age to 18 to nuclear weapons.

He then went on to Headlands Primary School, Haxby to discuss with some pupils how they have embraced recycling and other sustainability issues within the school.

Two year 6 pupils (Chair and Vice Chair of the School Council) showed him round and he saw a wide range of activities going on. These included a rehearsal of 'Gel' (the school's own version of 'Grease'), children drawing and learning about plants and herbs and others involved in a puppet show.

Ming and Medeleine admire childrens work

He was also very impressed at the way one year had been learning about animals by making papier-mâché models using old newspapers. This was followed by a meeting of the School Council where they told him of their concerns for the environment and how they had tried to encourage parents and pupils to join the 'Park and Stride' initiative.

Before leaving Ming asked them how they had been elected to the School Council and there was a discussion about democracy and elections and how they could visit Westminster to see government in action.