Leiston pupils given inspiring tour of 10 Downing Street as part of Sizewell C Youth Council

• Eleven pupils at Alde Valley Academy in Leiston shown around the Prime Minister’s official residence 

• Pupils are part of Sizewell C Youth Council, set up to represent local youth voice to the project and provide young people with development opportunities 

• Keir Starmer promised the pupils a tour during a visit to Ipswich in June, where he announced £14.2bn of funding for Sizewell C 

• Year 11 Student: “The best thing about the Youth Council is you get to do stuff like this, and it gives us a vision for the future and shows us what we can achieve.”  

Secondary school pupils at Alde Valley Academy in Leiston have had a once-in-a-lifetime trip to 10 Downing Street in London, as part of their roles as members of the Sizewell C Youth Council. 

The eleven pupils were shown around the Prime Minister’s official residence on Tuesday after Keir Starmer promised them a tour during a trip to Ipswich in June, where he announced £14.2bn of funding for the new nuclear power station being built on the Suffolk coast. 

Established in 2024, the Sizewell C Youth Council offers Sizewell C’s leadership team further insight into the needs of young people in the local area, as well as offering the students unique opportunities and insights into how the project works. 

Fabija, a Year 9 pupil who took part in the tour, said: “The Number 10 visit was so much fun and an amazing experience. I enjoyed learning about the history and architecture of the building. Being part of days like this makes me feel really proud of myself. As somebody that wants to pursue a future in politics, the Sizewell C Youth Council offers me experiences to help kick-start my career.” 

Ryan, a Year 11 pupil, added: “Our visit to 10 Downing Street went really well – it was a really fun day out. The best thing about being part of the Youth Council is you get to do stuff like this, and it gives us a vision for the future and shows us what we can achieve.” 

The Youth Council, made up of twelve pupils, meets regularly with Sizewell C’s senior leadership team. They’re given the opportunity to ask questions about the project, covering topics such as the environment and training opportunities for young people, as well as getting access to people working across the project. 

Julia Pyke, Joint Managing Director, Sizewell C, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that the Youth Council were given this incredible opportunity. We said from the start that we wanted this initiative to inspire our young people, and who wouldn’t be inspired by visiting the office of the Prime Minister. This scheme is already providing fantastic opportunities, and it’s further building on our close relationship with Alde Valley Academy.”  

The Youth Council usually meets at Sizewell C’s project office in Leiston, but ahead of their visit to Downing Street, they held their regular meeting at Sizewell C’s London office near Liverpool Street for the first time. 

They then travelled to 10 Downing Street where they met Suffolk Coastal MP, Jenny Riddell-Carpenter, who secured the tour.

Dan Mayhew, Director of Community and Partnerships, Kingfisher Schools Trust, who accompanied the pupils, said: “This was a great opportunity for the young people in our community, some of which have never travelled to London by train or used the underground. Visiting the Sizewell C team in their London office clearly demonstrated the size of this project and the vast array of professionals involved. The visit to No.10 was the highlight of the day and gave the students an insight into how politics works in our country and the history behind it.” 

Jenny Riddell-Carpenter, Labour MP for Suffolk Coastal, said: “I was really delighted to arrange the visit to No.10 for the Sizewell C Youth Council: what an amazing and inspiring trip for the young students. As one member of the Youth Council told me, it’s not every day you get to go to Downing Street!” 

Sizewell C is working very closely with local educational organisations in East Suffolk, including the University of Suffolk and Suffolk New College, to identify and address educational needs in the region. 

Earlier this year, the project announced plans to build a new education campus in Leiston, which includes a permanent post-16 college, The College on the Coast, which will accommodate 150 students and 20 full-time staff. An apprentice hub will also provide a dedicated centre for supporting up to 540 local apprentices, part of Sizewell C’s commitment to delivering 1,500 apprentices during construction, while a purpose-built Centre of Excellence will provide the training infrastructure for Sizewell C’s project-facing workforce.