A key part of Parliament’s education offer, the programme provides teachers with practical tools, direct access to parliamentary staff and Members, and builds confidence in political teaching.
Over the past two decades, the Teacher Ambassador Programme has trained over 1,000 teachers across all nations of the UK in how Parliament works, who’ve gone on to share their knowledge with around 34,000 colleagues and reached an estimated 1.8 million students as a result.
The aim of the programme is to equip teachers with the knowledge and confidence to educate young people on the democratic process and help them understand how decisions are made and how they can take part.
What the programme involves
Teachers spend three days in Parliament meeting Members from both Houses, taking part in interactive sessions and exploring ways to bring Parliament to life for their students.
Participants can watch live debates from the galleries, tour the Speaker’s House, the Royal Apartments and Parliament’s Education Centre, hear directly from Members of the House of Lords, Mr Speaker, and the Lord Speaker, have Q&As with MPs and get behind-the-scenes perspectives from the role of a Doorkeeper.
Sessions are held twice a year with applications currently open for the next session which is taking place on 25th-27th January 2027. UK-based teachers covering any subject and Key Stage are welcome to apply. The course is free to attend with travel to London, accommodation and most meals fully funded.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House, said: “In my view, you are never too young to get involved in democracy and to make things happen - so giving teachers an insight into our world is a great way to pass that message back to the classroom.
“We also appreciate having the chance to talk to teachers about their experiences, to thank them for their hard work - and to see how we can work together to get children interested in politics.”
The three-day training course also provides an opportunity to network with teachers from across the UK. Once completed, teachers receive a certificate of accreditation, a digital badge for their school/college website, access to the Teacher Ambassador online community and exclusive opportunities to engage with UK Parliament going forward.
One Teacher Ambassador said it was “a privilege” to be a part of the programme, calling it “an amazing opportunity to not only enhance your own knowledge of UK Parliament but to meet some incredible individuals and become immersed in the centre of it all - the Palace of Westminster.”
School trips to Parliament
By providing teachers with a thorough understanding of the democratic process, the Teacher Ambassador Programme can also support educational visits to Parliament. The free visits include a tour of the Palace of Westminster and the option of a curriculum-based workshop in the designated Education Centre.
Workshops include Parts of Parliament: Building a Law, aimed at 7-11 years olds learning about how laws are made, and The Power of Petitions for 11-16 years olds which gets pupils to create their own petitions and experience the stages of getting it through Parliament.
Bookings for educational visits between January and July 2027 open on 23rd September. A travel subsidy scheme is available to help with the cost of transport to and from London.
Applications for the next Teacher Ambassador Programme session (25th-27th January 2027) close on 1st November. You can find out more about it and how to apply here.
To see more info on school visits to UK Parliament click here.
