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Year 11

Is the physical set up of the House of Commons fit for purpose?

I can recognise the layout of the House of Commons and consider the benefits and drawbacks of this layout.

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New
New
Year 11

Is the physical set up of the House of Commons fit for purpose?

I can recognise the layout of the House of Commons and consider the benefits and drawbacks of this layout.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The House of Commons is set up in a rectangle shape and has opposing sides face each other.
  2. The debating chambers of Scottish and Welsh Parliament / Senedd are both laid out differently to the House of Commons.
  3. The House of Commons has a traditional layout and others follow a more modern layout.

Keywords

  • Parliament - the institution of Government in the UK. It comprises of three parts: the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the monarch. Its purpose is to debate, make laws and scrutinise the government

  • House of Commons - elected body currently consisting of 650 members of Parliament, where MPs debate, make laws and scrutinise the government. It is the lower house of Parliament and meets in the Palace of Westminster

  • Member of Parliament (MP) - the representative elected to represent a constituency and formally elected to the UK’s national legislative body

Common misconception

The Speaker is able to influence decisions in the House of Commons.

The Speaker is politically neutral and there to chair debates and keep order in the House of Commons.


To help you plan your year 11 citizenship lesson on: Is the physical set up of the House of Commons fit for purpose?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

There is no correct layout to any debating chamber. It is about getting pupils to think and analyse what layout would allow for an improved debate.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What type of government does the UK follow?
anarchy
Correct answer: democracy
dictatorship
Q2.
The building that the House of Commons is in is called ...
Correct Answer: The Palace of Westminster, Parliament , The Houses of Parliament, Palace of Westminster
Q3.
How many parts is Parliament made up of in the UK?
one
two
Correct answer: three
four
Q4.
A Member of Parliament their constituency in the House of Commons.
Correct Answer: represents
Q5.
Who can become a member of the House of Lords?
people who win the election
Correct answer: people who are appointed or inherit their position
only people born into the royal family
Q6.
How can citizens get involved in democracy in the UK?
Correct answer: discussing issues with their local MP
paying their council tax
joining the local library
Correct answer: voting in elections

4 Questions

Q1.
Where do Members of Parliament sit?
Correct answer: House of Commons
House of Lords
Q2.
Which of the following people sit in the second chamber of Parliament?
Monarch
Correct answer: Speaker
Correct answer: Prime Minister
Lords
Q3.
What shape is the House of Commons?
Circular
Ellipse
Correct answer: Rectangular
U-Shaped
Q4.
Which of the following is an advantage of the layout of the House of Commons?
Everyone can be included in the debate without a hierarchy.
Correct answer: There is direct eye contact with those of opposing opinions.
It is inclusive and encourages collaborative discussion.