This week, the academy was proud to host and take part in a Model United Nations (Model UN) conference, welcoming students from a range of local secondary schools for a full day of debate, collaboration and diplomacy.

Schools from across the area attended, including BEST Trust schools Samuel Whitbread Academy, Robert Bloomfield Academy, Pix Brook Academy and Etonbury Academy, alongside Redborne Upper School, Harlington Upper School, Daubeney Academy, Challney School for Girls and Kempston Academy.

The conference focused on the timely and challenging topic:
“Nuclear weapons should be phased out to open doors to a peaceful future.”
Students were asked to consider the key question: How far is your country willing to go to prevent nuclear devastation?

Throughout the day, students represented different countries and were expected to act entirely in role. This included delivering formal speeches, questioning other delegations, negotiating and forming alliances, and working collaboratively to draft and vote on resolutions. The event gave students an excellent opportunity to develop skills in public speaking, critical thinking, negotiation, teamwork and global awareness.

The conference was opened by Dr Alan Lee, CEO of BEST Trust, and students also benefited from expert input from Dr Ben Nutt, Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the University of Hertfordshire, who delivered an insightful introduction to the topic and supported students throughout the event.



Hosting the conference while also participating allowed Samuel Whitbread Academy students to work alongside peers from other schools, engage with real-world global issues and experience the complexity of international decision-making. The professionalism, maturity and enthusiasm shown by all students involved were a credit to their schools and to the spirit of the Model UN programme.