As the country went to the polls on Thursday, a school hosted its own mock election with the result mirroring the national picture.

Year 13 student Francis Clark Murray, representing the Conservatives, won with 55% of the vote as four sixth-form candidates stood for election at Bancroft’s school, in High Road, Woodford Green.

In the two weeks leading up to the election, the students standing produced party political broadcasts, wrote manifestos and debated the day before.  

Deputy head at the private school, Marwan Mikdadi, said: “After a long hard fight by all the candidates, it was marvellous to see so many pupils engaging actively in the electoral process.

“Schools can too easily sit idly by and not engage in the electoral system, but today saw much of Bancroft’s catch the bug, which will hopefully create the next generation of leaders.”