Tories come out on top in mock elections

Election fever hit schools across North Somerset last week as pupils staged their own ballots.

Students from Nailsea School have been learning about politics, the election process and taking part in tutor group debates.

The school holds an election each year to nominate presidents for the student council and this year the pupils also took part in a mock general election.

The school council organised the elections by registering each student and issuing ballot papers.

Every pupil then visited the school’s polling station to cast their vote.

Ann Dumbell and Alex George from year 12 were elected as the new school presidents.

In the mock general elections, a hung Parliament was announced with Conservatives winning three seats, and the Green Party and UKIP taking two each.

At Gordano School in Portishead, the pupils also took part in a mock general election.

Pupils were able to vote for any of the five main political parties or choose not to vote at all.

Each of the 75 tutor groups in the school representated an area and constituency and 38 groups needed to decide on the same party for a majority winner.

The closest party to win was the Conservatives with 36 seats, so a hung Parliament was declared as a result.

In total 1,649 votes were counted by student volunteers - 28 per cent voted for Conservatives, 22 per cent for Labour, 15 per cent for the Green Party, 14 per cent for UKIP, 12 per cent for the Liberal Democrats and eight per cent did not vote.

Golden Valley Primary School in Nailsea also held its own elections and three parties put forward their manifestos - one promised an additional 15 minutes of play at lunch time, one pledged no homework for a week and the third offered an extra 30 minutes of golden time with a cup of tea and biscuit for the teachers.

The party which promised extra golden time and a treat for the teachers won the most votes.