20 Heron’s Moor Pupils Turn Positive Reporters to Launch Their Own Good News Room
Story by Good News Room reporters at Heron’s Moor School
Photo by Elliott, age 9
Twenty enthusiastic pupils at Heron’s Moor School have become the latest young reporters to launch a children-led Good News Room, sharing positive stories about their school, community—and beyond.
In just one hour, the team of 9- and 10-year-olds researched, interviewed, and wrote a story celebrating one of their school’s competition-winning dancers, putting a spotlight on achievement, talent, and kindness.
Headteacher Georgie Tinker said: “Our young reporters were buzzing after the workshop—and so was I! They are super excited to write more real-life positive stories about the school, the community, and beyond.”
The newsroom team also brainstormed more than a dozen story ideas, including a pet dog with two different-coloured eyes and eating snails in Paris, showing how children can find inspiring stories everywhere.
Launched in 2011 in a headteacher’s office, the student-led Good News Room project develops literacy, aspiration, digital skills, communication and confidence in children aged 4 to 21, trained by professional journalists.
It also boosts wellbeing, encourages positivity, and teaches the basics and ethics of being a news reporter. Its ethos is inspired by BBC presenter Jill Dando, whose professionalism, kindness, and humility provide the guiding values for the initiative.
The 20 pupils will now receive further training from members of the Good News Post’s expanding project, joining the global Jill Dando News Network, which includes young reporters as far away as Malawi.
The project began in the headteacher’s office at Jill’s former school—Worle School—where she wrote her first news stories at 13.
Since then, young reporters have interviewed a Prime Minister in Downing Street, the Speaker of the House of Commons four times, and many other notable figures.
Heron’s Moor School, part of the Cabot Learning Federation in Weston-super-Mare, now joins hundreds of students trained through the project since 2011.
The young reporters are encouraged to promote the work of charities and schools, inspirational people, and to bring people and communities together with kindness, positivity and hope.
Founder of the Good News Post and former journalist Shane Dean said:
“These 20 pupils were amazing—full of enthusiasm, talent, and a real credit to their school. It’s inspiring to see children leading the project and sharing positivity in their school and community.”
For more information, visit www.goodnewspost.co.uk
Shane Dean
www.goodnewspost.co.
