18 Hugh Sexey’s Middle School pupils become young reporters with new Good News Room
Some 18 pupils at Hugh Sexey’s Middle School have become young reporters – already uncovering some amazing achievements by their fellow students after launching a new Good News Room.
The Somerset school has joined the growing Good News Rooms project, created by the Good News Post, which gives young people the chance to learn journalism while developing their literacy, interviewing, writing and presentation skills.
The first group of 18 young reporters, aged nine to 13, has already got to work – writing stories about a fellow pupil who competed at the World Trampolining Championships and another student who is competing at Silverstone.
The project was launched at the school with pupils learning how to find a story, interview people and turn their ideas into news reports.
Headteacher Mark Drew said: “This Good News Room project is brilliant and so simple.
“It gives our pupils a real purpose to write, builds their confidence and encourages them to celebrate the achievements of the people around them. They were incredibly enthusiastic!”
The Good News Rooms project began in Weston-super-Mare in 2011 and was formally launched. with Jill Dando as the inspiration behind it in 2016 at Jill’s former school, Worle School, inspired by her positive, kind and humble approach to journalism.
The project has since grown from Somerset to schools across the UK and beyond.
Good News Post board member and former King Alfred School headteacher Dan Milford said the project was giving young people the opportunity to discover their voice.
He said: “It’s wonderful to see young people discovering that they have a story to tell. They learn real journalism skills while celebrating the achievements of their friends and community.”
The project has also attracted support from high-profile figures over the years, including Alan Titchmarsh, Fiona Bruce, Sir Cliff Richard and the late author and former politician Lord Jeffrey Archer, who backed the Jill Dando News project and who was a long-standing supporter of the initiative.
Young reporters involved in the project have gone on to interview the Prime Minister inside Downing Street, the Speaker of the House of Commons and BBC, ITV, Sky News and even CBS TV news crews who covered their stories.
The Good News Rooms project is now expanding across the UK and beyond, helping young people develop confidence, communication, literacy and media skills – one good news story at a time.
Schools interested in joining the Good News Rooms project can find out more at www.goodnewspost.org or email pippa@goodnewspost.co.uk.
The young reporters’ stories can be read at www.goodnewspost.co.uk.
