HOLMES Chapel Comprehensive School is set to score a General Election coup – by declaring first on May 7.

Students at the school and sixth form college are taking part in their own Election Special.

The school devised an election process to mirror the national election, complete with candidates, manifestos, campaign agents and even its own returning officer.

Thursday, May 7, will be a big day for the school, as not only is it an official polling station for the General Election, but separate polling stations for the internal election have been set up so every student will have the chance to cast their vote.

Students have put themselves forward as Conservative, Labour, Green and Independent candidates, and the results will be announced on polling day by the school’s returning officer, year 13 student Bill Armstrong-Mortlock.

Bill has played an important role in helping get the election project off the ground.

“This has been a busy couple of weeks, and the candidates have been really good at presenting their findings and conclusions to the other students,” said Bill.

“I can’t wait to see the ballot boxes emptied and the votes counted – we definitely will be the first to declare on the day!”

Students from all year groups were asked to put their names forward to stand for election under the main party banners or, as in Parliament, as an independent candidate.

Each party was allowed up to four candidates, and in total 23 candidates from across the seven year groups put their names forward to take part.

Hustings were held in the different year and House assemblies, as well as lunch time ‘meet the voters’ sessions, and to bring a sense of realism to proceedings the Parliamentary candidates for the Congleton constituency were invited to attend one of the hustings.

The election project is being overseen by social science teacher Graham Baker, who said: “We are trying to show our students how the democratic process works in a way that is relevant to them.”

Executive head teacher Denis Oliver praised the efforts of everyone involved.

“The candidates have put a lot of time and effort into making this election feel real and relevant for all of our age groups,” he said.

“Who knows, by the time the next General Election comes along the voting age could be 16, and more than 1,000 of our current students could be voting for real.”