Two Carlton schoolgirls got the chance to grill government ministers and politicians last week.

Ella Henry and Ella Foster, who are in Year 9 at Carlton le Willows, travelled to Westminster last week along with pupils from schools across the UK to lobby Parliament as representatives of the 300,000-strong Send My Friend to School youth campaign.

The two Ellas took the opportunity to call for increased investment in education around the world, when they met with local MPs, parliamentarians and Ministers at the Houses of Parliament last Wednesday (12).

The trip formed part of the girls’ work as Campaign Champions for the Send My Friend to School campaign, which urges world leaders to provide a quality education for every child in the world by 2030.

During the day Geography GCSE students Ella and Ella joined 16 other Campaign Champions from across the UK, meeting with the Chair of the International Development Committee Stephen Twigg, Special Envoy for Gender Equality Joanna Roper and finally Minister of State for the Foreign Office and the International Department of International Development Alastair Burt.

During each meeting they were able to ask questions, grilling Ministers on the level of their commitment to improving global education and urging them to commit to greater levels of government funding in the future.

The 14-year-old Academy students also found time to speak to their own local MP Vernon Coaker, who they said was extremely supportive of their campaign.

Ella Foster said: “My favourite part of the day was getting to talk to our MP Vernon Coaker and to talk about what we wanted to do in our own community.”

Ella Henry said: “The whole day was such an opportunity to be able to press the MPs, speak to them face to face about important issues, basically talking directly to the people with the power.  It’s not something that you could usually do.”

Carlton le Willows geography teacher Kate Wood said the students were a credit to the school.

She said: “Both girls were incredible. They spoke with real confidence and had both put in huge time and effort to grasp all the facts, figures and to be able to ask intelligent questions about the issues. I’m so proud of them.”