STUDENTS are delving into the world of politics at a school Question Time event in the lead-up to the General Election.

Schools across the district will quiz candidates for the Banbury constituency on issues affecting the area.

Bicester Community College is hosting the event on Monday to engage youngsters in politics and give them the chance to put forward their own questions.

The event is being staged by parent Les Penfold, who said: “I thought with the General Election coming up, how about having a Question Time event for students, and the school really ran with the idea.

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“We have party political candidates for the main six parties coming and are inviting the Cooper School in Bicester and schools in Banbury.”

The panelists will be Sean Woodcock for Labour, Victoria Prentis for Conservatives, Ian Middleton for the Green Party, John Howson for Liberal Democrats, Dickie Bird for UKIP and Roseanne Edwards for the National Health Action party.

There will also be two independent members on the panel: North Oxfordshire’s UK Youth Parliament member Aaron Miles and the chairman of Bicester Athletics Club Steve Flynn.

Head boy and chairman for the event, 17-year-old student MJ Oosthuizen, said: “It is a good opportunity for students, especially young people that don’t care about politics, to get involved.

“It is going to be a fun night. Only a couple of the year 13s will be able to vote in the upcoming elections so it is good for next year’s generation to carry the event on.”

Mr Penfold added: “Questions will come solely from students. Lots will be voting for the first time.

“For the politicians it will provide a rare opportunity to talk with an often unrecognised and undervalued section of the electorate.”

The evening will be filmed by the school, which also has permission to use the BBC programme’s theme tune.