JOHN Masefield High School students were present at a historic moment when they were among the last UK students to visit the European Parliament before Brexit.

Teacher Trish Knight said: “I do believe that we would have been the last group of students to visit the European Parliament along with nine students from the Joseph Leckie Academy in Walsall. From John Masefield we were 15 students and two members of staff.

“We were kindly invited by Ellie Chowns, our MEP for the West Midlands. The highlight of the trip was our visit to the Hemicycle for the final parliamentary plenary session for British MEPs. Ellie Chowns contributed eloquently to the debate on recent flooding in Spain and the need for us to focus urgently on measures to combat climate change and she also paid tribute to the presence of a group of British students in Parliament.

The pupils were in the EU parliament last Friday.

Mrs Knight added: “We were able to hear first-hand the interpreters at work in many languages and witness the genuine, warm applause and standing ovation for the UK after the final address.”

Ellie Chowns said: “It was such a pleasure and privilege to host students from John Masefield High School and the Joseph Leckie Academy in the European Parliament at this historic moment. The students, who are studying French, German, and Politics, were a complete credit to their schools. As an MEP I have worked hard to communicate with voters, to explain how the EU works and to listen to people’s views. I’m so glad these students could see the Parliament in operation for themselves. I think these visits are such a good way of helping people understand how ‘Brussels’ works and I’ve asked the President of the Parliament to consider how to continue to welcome British students after Brexit.”