A visit from the Police and Crime Commissioner

His visit supported our aim to help students explore how public institutions work within a democratic society. The session, “Understanding the Role of the Police Commissioner in a Democratic Society,” tied in directly with the Edexcel Citizenship Studies curriculum, touching on themes like justice, accountability, and civic engagement.

Mr Matthews spoke about the responsibilities of his role, how Commissioners are elected, and the challenges facing policing today. He also encouraged students to think about how they can help build safer communities and stronger relationships between the police and the public.

Our students were outstanding—asking insightful, sometimes challenging questions about police accountability, discrimination, and community priorities. Their confidence and curiosity were a real credit to the school.

A highlight was the “You’re the Commissioner” activity, where students worked in teams to allocate a policing budget using real crime data. It sparked great discussion and gave them a taste of real-world decision-making.

We’re grateful to Mr Matthews for his time, and proud of our students for engaging so thoughtfully with such an important topic.