On Friday 15 May 2026, Ark Blake welcomed Natasha Irons, MP, to meet with students and discuss the important topic of 'Growing up in the Digital World'. The visit formed part of the Government's consultation on improving online safety and wellbeing for young people, with students invited to share their perspectives and experiences.
Students from Year 7 - 10 took part in a thoughtful and engaging discussion, exploring a range of ideas to help make online spaces safer for young people. Topics included limiting contact from strangers online, strengthening parental oversight of social media use, and debating whether social media platforms should be restricted for under-16s.
Our students spoke confidently and demonstrated maturity, empathy and a strong awareness of the opportunities and challenges that young people face online today. Natasha encouraged our students to openly discuss their views throughout the session.
Students also shared how valuable it was to have their voices heard on an issue that affects young people every day. One of our students said "I feel very seen. Natasha is a very down-to-earth MP who thinks a lot about young people and really listened to what we had to say instead of just making decisions for us".
We are incredibly proud of our students for their enthusiasm, honesty and excellent participation.
Thank you Natasha for including Ark Blake in such an important national conversation.
