Children aren’t usually short of an opinion.

And they got the chance to discuss their ideas at a Pupil Parliament event in Bath.

Youngsters from 11 different schools across the Bath area took part in the event at the Guildhall to find out about the democratic process and exchange ideas about how to mark the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.

They shared ideas about how they would be celebrating the occasion and thought about the movement’s seven values of respect, excellence, friendship, courage, determination, inspiration and equality.

The pupils that took part were from Oldfield Park Juniors, Moorlands Juniors, St Martin’s Garden Primary, Widcombe Juniors, Southdown Juniors, St Keyna Primary, Peasedown St John Primary, Paulton Juniors, St John’s Primary in Midsomer Norton, St Nicholas in Radstock, and Westfield Primary in Midsomer Norton.

One of the organisers Penny Jenner, from Oldfield Park Juniors, said it was an opportunity for children to meet other children.

She said: “The biggest thing for them is finding out what goes on in the other schools. Teachers are always getting together, but a lot of the children don’t have that opportunity.

“They are all school councillors, so are representing their schools, so they are already used to taking ideas from their peers and making decisions.

“But this gives them a chance to talk to other children and take those ideas back to their own schools.”

Visitors to the event included North East Somerset MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, who talked to them about how Parliament works, and Tim Hollingsworth, chief executive of the British Paralympics Association, who chaired a question and answer session.

The British Paralympic squad will be based at the University of Bath in the run-up to the games.

Mazy, 11, from Widcombe Juniors, said it was good that there were opportunities for children to get involved with decision-making.

She said: “It is normally the teachers who decide everything and the pupils who don’t have much of a say. But with the school council it is you that puts the ideas forward and gives a chance for people to say stuff.”

Matilda, also 11, and from Oldfield Park Juniors, said she had enjoyed the opportunity to get new ideas from other schools.

She said: “My favourite bit has been when we were in groups talking about what makes a great sportsperson. We were saying things like courage, just the Olympic values really.”

Elise, a Year 6 pupil at Moorlands Juniors, said she was hoping that the Olympics would mean sportsmen and women would visit schools to talk about their achievements.

Pictures

Pupil Parliament event in Bath