BBC News School Report 2007 www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport
CONTENTS
Executive summary …………………………………………………………….….3
Purposes and Methodology ………………………………………………….…..11
Feedback …………………………………………………………………………...19
Longer term thinking ………………………………………………………………31
Appendix 1 – What pupils said they had learned…...... 36
Appendix 2 – What teachers said they had learned …...... 38 .
Appendix 3 – Teachers view of long term impact …………………………… ...39
Appendix 4 – Issues that matter to 12 and 13 year olds………………………..40
Appendix 5 – Questions for the Prime Minister ………………………………….42
Appendix 6 – Full list of schools …………………………………………………...43
Appendix 7 – Summary of the day from the website ……………………………48
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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
‘Like everyone else at the BBC, I’m very proud of School Report. More than 100 schools have taken part in this first year. Next year I’m sure there’ll be many many more.’ Mark Thompson, BBC Director General
1.0 What is BBC News School Report?
BBC News School Report is a news project for 12 & 13 year olds in the UK. The aim was to engage Year 8 school children with the news, by giving them the opportunity to make their own news reports. In return, the BBC sought to connect with young audiences and learn about the issues that matter to them.
The project was designed to be as inclusive as possible - pan-UK and encouraging all ability students from different types of schools to take part. The School Report website contained lesson plans which are mapped to the curricula for English, Citizenship and IT at Key Stage 3.
While the project was tri-media, online was a key medium. The decision was taken to publish most content on the web, to make it accessible and suitable for the age group. It also meant there would be a sustainable legacy beyond the pilot year of the project. The webcast on School Report Newsday on 22nd March was highly innovative and was the first time the BBC has run what was in effect a whole channel online. It also guaranteed that there would be coverage
Page 3 throughout the day, whether or not other output chose to switch to other breaking news stories.
BBC newsroom journalists were assigned to many but not all participating schools, as mentors. Over 6-9 months pupils and teachers learnt how to make online, radio, television, mobile phone and podcast news reports. Practise days prepared pupils for the BBC School Report Live News Day on March 22nd 2007, with coverage on TV, Radio and Online throughout the day.
1.1 Aims & Objectives
• To teach 12 -13 year olds how to make news reports • To engage 12–13 year olds in the news • To maximise the educational potential of the BBC • To connect with young audiences • To gain insights into young audiences and what they care about • To give audiences a taste of issues that matter to this age group • To leave a legacy of skills e.g. writing, critical thinking, use of IT
1.2 Methodology
Funding was agreed with News and a project team of broadcasters and journalists with an education background, was formed from within the BBC. BBC journalism mentors were allocated to as many schools as possible. News presenter, Huw Edwards fronted BBC News School Report’s lesson plans for the website. The site also contains practical tips and examples. A live News Day event was set for March 22nd 2007, with coverage agreed on TV (News 24, One O Clock News, Six O Clock News, Newsround), Radio (Radio Five Live, Radio Four, Local Radio) and Online throughout the day, including a live webcast on the School Report website.
Page 4 A very diverse range of schools from all around the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were involved. Urban, suburban and rural schools signed up, including a school in the Outer Hebrides and a school for deaf children in Bristol. The project worked closely with a number of CLC’s (City Learning Academies), the Specialist Schools & Academies Trust and other schools around the UK. (See Appendix 6 for full list of schools).
A lot of work was done to make sure that the necessary child protection measures and parental consent forms were put in place across the project.
1.3 Results and deeper themes
‘There is a lot of excitement about School Report at Shawlands School in Scotland. It’s interesting to hear to hear about students who believed there weren’t any news stories in their area. Then they realised there was an asylum story about someone their age, right under their nose. Now they’re starting a petition…’ Mark Thompson, BBC Director General
The feedback from students, teachers and mentors has been extremely positive, with most of those canvassed saying how pleased they were to take part in the project. Education experts and policy makers say how impressed and inspired they are, by the ambitious and dynamic remit of BBC News School Report.
125 schools signed up to BBC News School Report in 2006/7, of which 120 took part on the News Day on March 22nd. This was well above an initial target of 60 schools. Schools are already signing up to participate in year 2, 2007/8.
There were almost 80,000 hits on the School Report website in the UK on March 22nd, with a monthly total of 132,000 hits (up from 23,000 in February).
There is much evidence of the learning brought about by BBC News School Report. Pupils and teachers said the students can now research, write, film,
Page 5 present and edit their own news reports. Year 8 students also told School Report how they had learned the principles of BBC journalism, e.g. accuracy, impartiality, balance, multiple and trustworthy sourcing. Many embraced the opportunity to master new technology, making their own podcasts for the first time. Pupils also responded to learning about the newsroom environment, communicating to different audiences and about the media’s place in democratic society. This created engagement in current affairs – where there wasn’t any previously. The project also created aspiration in Year 8s, in terms of future employment opportunities and connection with adult professionals from outside school.
Teachers reported their own growth in confidence and competence around incorporating new technology in their lessons. They also said they felt more equipped to teach media and journalism in their school. Both pupils and teachers stressed the importance of BBC journalists going into schools as mentors, in achieving these results
In addition to newsgathering skills, there has been much other learning – some of it unanticipated. Teachers said BBC News School Report is a highly effective vehicle to make standard lessons more motivating, with better results. Pupils and teachers noticed how teamwork improved, more able children spontaneously began to mentor less able students. Other new skills include better time keeping, an enhanced ability to think critically and ask challenging questions to those in power. Children started talking about the news at home.
There was also evidence of some potential sustainable long term impacts, beyond the obvious remit of the project. From interviewing a selection of teachers taking part in the project, the headlines include: reduced bullying in schools, greater job prospects through the enhanced ability of pupils to relate to adults and represent their views articulately.
Page 6 Almost unanimously, teachers and pupils have praised BBC News School Report’s project concept and delivery. However negatives mentioned by the teachers included schools having problems downloading high resolution footage from the website and the pressure of extra form-filling for some teachers. Communication between the BBC and schools and teachers was not always easy – teachers are not always geared up to receiving regular emails, and are not available at the end of the phone throughout the day.
On March 22nd, there was extensive coverage across BBC1, CBBC, News 24, Radio Five Live, BBC Scotland, BBC Wales, BBC Northern Ireland, every BBC local radio station and 34 ‘Where I Live’ sites as well as a live webcast from 9am- 6pm on the BBC News website. News editors say the project has accessed news stories the BBC would not have found otherwise. They want to explore how to keep connected to young people. Coverage and website hits went far above expectations.
1.4 Conclusion
This was a highly innovative 360˚ project, which offered young people the opportunity to express themselves by making their own content, and seeing it published in a BBC context. The use of the website both as a resource for teachers and as a broadcast platform was successful.
In general, schools are highly positive about taking part. Teachers described the BBC’s lesson plans as a ‘gift’. They speak of integrating them into other parts of the National Curriculum, and using them with older age groups not just Year 8s.
BBC News School Report proved to be flexible and inclusive. Some teachers used the project as an opportunity to offer less able students an outlet where they could gain new skills, confidence and a sense of excitement about learning. In other schools, BBC News School Report was used to stretch talented and gifted
Page 7 pupils and give them the chance to become leaders, passing on skills to less able pupils in their school.
Nearly every school with an assigned BBC mentor, said it couldn’t have participated in School Report without their help. Pupils particularly liked having an outside adult with real life experience of the BBC, come to their school.
From reviewing feedback from pupils, teachers, mentors and news editors taking part in BBC News School Report it is clear this project is an example of both giving out media knowledge and BBC best practise to others, but also, of collecting in responses from this under represented age group.
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1.5 BBC NEWS SCHOOL REPORT FACT FILE
Number schools which took part 125 Number of schools which filed stories on March 22nd 118 Number BBC local radio stations which aired reports 40 Where I Live website coverage 37 BBC Buses 10 BBC Open Centres 3 Hours of School Report Live 9 Hits to the Website on the day 80,000 Hits to the Website in March 2006 182,000 Viewers to the 6 – 7 News Hour 5.7 million Number of stories on the website (written and AV) 111 Number of School Reporters 3,000+ Number of school websites 114 Number of stories made by schools 1000+ Number of broadcast languages 4 Number of Party leaders interviewed 5
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2 PURPOSES & METHODOLOGY
Page 11 2.1 Project aims
• To engage 12 -13 year olds with news • To give 12 – 13 year olds the opportunity to make news reports • To connect 12 – 13 year olds with BBC values and the concept of public service journalism • To maximise the educational potential of BBC news, encouraging the use of BBC News as an educational resource and supporting the National Curriculum (in particular English and Citizenship) • To leave a legacy of skills e.g. writing, critical thinking around issues • To engage teachers, head teachers and parents in the process • To deliver some of the aspirations of Creative Futures Journalism and to complement other BBC offerings for this age group. • To give audiences a chance to hear stories that engage 12 & 13 year olds • To give the BBC insights into how to engage young audiences • To connect with formats young audiences use to receive news • To strengthen links between the BBC and local communities
2.2 Project purpose
BBC News School Report taps into the BBC’s key themes for the future of news Convenience Participation Personalisation Relevance Web 2 (moving from text online to audio and video online)
‘Most of my pupils have never even picked up a newspaper, let alone read it.’ Steve Townsend, Haggerston School, Hackney, London
Page 12 ‘Year 8’s are often neglected. Year 7s transition from primary school and Year 9s are SATS SATS SATS. Year 8s need something sharply focussed to keep them on track.’ Tamsin Macdonald, Manchester Academy
Today's generation of young teenagers are not regular consumers of news. Half of 14 - 17 year olds do not keep up with the News. News consumption is sharply lower for teenagers from less affluent households. For the BBC there is a risk that this audience never connects with BBC Journalism. And for the audience, there is a risk that they will not have the opportunity to differentiate between the public service journalism and more opinion led news broadcasting. At a time when there is a significant increase in the number of places where young people can find news (e.g. YouTube, Google, Yahoo, MySpace.com), BBC News School Report aims to help them understand the principles of public service broadcasting, and its editorial values and processes, so they can make informed choices.
BBC News School Report undertakes to engage young teenagers in the world around them, through the News. Making and analysing the news features prominently in the educational guidelines for English in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. It forms a significant part of the Citizenship guidelines in England and Scotland, the PSE guidelines in Wales and the Learning for Life and Work guidelines in Northern Ireland.
2.3 Target audiences
• Secondary school pupils • Teachers and parents / guardians of secondary school pupils • National and regional BBC news audiences • BBC journalists and programme editors
Page 13 2.4 Methodology
The project was kicked off in a pan-BBC brainstorm, with participants from BBC News, Nations and Regions, BBC Children’s and BBC Learning. Funding was agreed by BBC News, and a core project team was recruited from BBC News and other divisions of the BBC. Some of the team had previously worked on youth projects, with schools programming or as secondary school teachers.
Close collaboration with BBC Nations and Regions, BBC Sport and BBC Children’s was established from very early in the project.
Key elements agreed were:
• The need to be highly accessible with a wide range of schools and abilities • The offer should be tri-media to suit the different needs and technical capabilities of various schools and students • That the web was important both as a platform and as a means of leaving some kind of legacy • The project should encourage creativity and awareness of their audiences from the students
The project vision was clarified with these Year 1 targets:
• Engage 100 schools across the UK, with 60 schools producing useable content • Create a website aimed at teachers, offering lesson plans and journalism training for pupils and other resources of ongoing value to teachers • Set up a mentoring programme, offering schools who signed up to the project a journalist mentor from BBC News, Nations and Regions or Sport
Page 14 • A BBC School Report News Day on March 22nd 2007 with coverage on BBC1, News24, all local 40 stations (TV, radio, online), CBBC, a presence in the national and specialist newspapers
For the pilot year, 125 secondary schools were recruited from around the UK taking care to ensure that all regions were represented and that schools were as diverse as possible, including both high achieving schools and schools recently in special measures. Methods included advice from BBC Local Radio, presentations and talks given to educational bodies e.g. the British Film Institute, SSATs (specialist academies) and CLCs (City Learning Centres). Schools taking part include a mix of urban, rural, suburban schools in N.Ireland, Wales and Scotland. A Gaelic school in the Outer Hebrides, a Welsh speaking school and and a school for deaf children in Bristol also signed up.
Consent forms were signed by head teachers addressing copyright and child protection issues. They gave permission for pupils to take part and to have their work published – with first names only. Participating schools also agreed to share learning from the project. Schools were encouraged to select mixed ability students not just the ‘talented and gifted’.
The BBC News School Report website offered news based lesson plans, practical tips and advice and was a way for participating schools to see what news reports other schools were producing. On the 22nd March, the site was the platform for the all day webcast of School Report Live (9am – 6pm), which followed students throughout the day as they gathered, edited and broadcast the news.
125 BBC mentors were given a day’s training and sent into participating schools over a 6 - 9 month period. Their job was to help teachers and school pupils learn how to make news stories across different media, i.e. television, radio and online. Mentors attended practise days in schools ahead of the March 22nd News Day.
Page 15 A limited number of pupils and teachers attended 21CC journalism and TV workshops in Television Centre.
A BBC School Report News Day on March 22nd 2007 was set in conjunction with schools and news programmes. The idea was for school pupils to learn how to make and compile their own news reports with the pressure of real deadlines. The “broadcast” deadline was 1400, with a second deadline of 1600 for schools to publish the news on their school website. The aim was to create a BBC event, which the students would want to be part of.
A team of journalists joined the School Report team on March 22nd as ‘checkers’ monitoring the following: contempt of court, defamation, taste & decency, child protection before the school websites were linked to bbc.co.uk/schoolreport.
Marketing and publicity materials were designed to align with the BBC News corporate branding. BBC News School Report participants were provided with School Report press cards, pens, mugs, certificates and a classroom clock, showing the stages and times-by-which each part of the newsgathering process must take place to go live on air to deadline.
The following sources of evaluative data inform this report:
• Online questionnaires on the BBC News School Report website • Ad hoc questionnaires given out to pupils and teachers on practice days • Anecdotal comments noted by BBC mentors and teachers • On-site in depth interviews with pupils and teachers • Letters written by children to the School Report team
Page 16 2.6 KEY PEOPLE
Project media Television, radio, online, webcast, mobile phones, podcast Time span September 2006 – March 22nd 2007 Executive Editor Melanie Essex Project Editor Helen Shreeve
Internal stakeholders
• BBC News • BBC Nations and Regions • BBC Children’s • BBC Sport • BBC Learning • BBC Outreach • BBC College of Journalism
External agencies consulted • Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, England QCA • Specialist Schools & Academies trust SSAT • City Learning Centres • Times Educational Supplement who run an annual ‘TES newsday’ • British Film Institute BFI • Channel 4 Education • John Carr, New Technology division of NCH The Children’s Charity • CEOP • BECTA
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2.7 SCHOOL REPORT NEWS DAY – SUMMARY OF COVERAGE
‘It’s been AMAZING this morning, having the BBC here. Did you see us on Breakfast?!’ Manchester CLC phoning their BBC journalism mentor.
• Continuous all day Webcast on the BBC News School Report website (9am – 6pm) with output from pupils • 34 on the day stories on the School Report Website plus stories on the rest of the News site • News 24 – Live OBs presented by Jane Hill from Birmingham throughout the day • Breakfast News – Live OB from Newcastle • The Six (with student presenters coming in to the studio to do real links) plus coverage on all 12 regional TV programmes between 1830 and 1900 • Newsround – live link and report • CBBC news bulletin at 18.25 • Radio 5 Live – live OBs from Leeds throughout the day • The PM Programme – live from Knutsford • 40 Local Radio stations and 37 Where I Live sites • Trails and Reports on big screens in Liverpool and Hull • Scotland – Reporting Scotland packages and through the day on Radio Scotland • Good coverage in Wales in English and Welsh – lives and packages from all the schools, lots of online coverage • Northern Ireland – Radio Foyle and package on BBC Newsline • Students interviewed the Prime Minister at Downing Street, with other groups interviewing all the other party leaders.
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3. FEEDBACK
Page 20 3.1 Feedback from Pupils
Pupils said they now have a host of newsgathering, technical, citizenship and people skills. They also said BBC School Report is fun.
Pupils said they had learnt the 3 C’s (clear, concise & correct) and to ask the 5 W’s (where, what, when, why, who) when compiling a news report. They’d learnt to ask open questions, to probe for the truth and to challenge interviewees. They had also learned how to research, check, source, prioritise stories, and write scripts for news stories. Pupils are now aware of the difference between fact & opinion. They also learnt about legal issues and copyright.
New technical skills include being able to film, edit and present news reports. Pupils were excited about using ‘real life high tech equipment’ and learning to podcast or use their mobile phone to report the news.
Key people skills include working together as a team, with more able pupils spontaneously mentoring the less able, i.e. developing leadership skills; working to deadline and critical thinking. Pupils said they now saw the importance of accurate spelling and grammar. They said BBC News School Report was ‘real’ i.e. learning with purpose. One pupil said: ‘I didn’t even know what politics was until today.’ Another said: ‘I didn’t realise how hard it is to make the news – it’s really difficult’.
Challenges for pupils included working to strict deadlines, checking their work, coping with computers crashing, putting things in their own words.
Page 21 Quotes from BBC News School Report reporters
‘I am most proud of being able to write my own news report and then broadcast it’
‘I learnt what I look like on screen. My hair looked terrible!!! Never again! But I learnt how to write, edit and broadcast news’
‘I would put the most important stories first e.g. murder, war and national stories, then I would put the weather and the funnier cheesy stories last.’
‘I will watch the news more and understand how they got the stories and how long it took to produce a report’
‘Getting involved in the news makes it interesting’
‘I learnt a lot and that….making the news is very difficult. It takes a lot of time and requires teamwork to get it all done by the end of the day’
‘I learned a lot about the news and how much preparation goes into a live radio broadcast. My class also found out about the steps we'd have to take if we wanted to write a big news story. We would have to make sure that all the facts were true and we would have to make a lot of phone calls!’
‘We had loads of fun rehearsing with the cameras and pulling funny faces at our friends in the gallery….I have seen there are lots of different parts to the news, not just the people up at the desk. I used to think the news was really boring. I think it is much more fun now’
‘I really enjoyed having one-to-one attention with the people that work in the BBC. I learnt how to research and write my own article and that you have to be fair and use the correct grammar’.
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‘My advice to someone else my age would be to learn as much as you can by watching the news and reading the newspaper. I would tell them that news is not so boring, it’s actually very exciting’.
‘If I were news editor for the day I would put the politics stories on first because it’s so boring and you can get it over and done with’
‘I’m most proud of my report because it took time and dedication to think how to make it….hearing it on the BBC was a real achievement’
‘Well before I never used to watch the news. Once in a blue moon. But now I actually want to watch the news, because I have been in their position and I know there is much more to the news than just one person talking about the world.’
‘In the future, I’ll probably watch the news a lot more often and take some of the skills and experience I’ve earned into my careers and jobs.’
‘Before I didn’t watch the news that much – now I watch it more and it’s interesting.’
‘I feel most proud of being part of a broadcast, which would be shown live across the country. I can’t explain it well in words, but it just makes you swell with pride and feel like you’ve accomplished something special…In the future, I’ll probably watch the news a lot more often’
‘This sort of makes me want to be part of the BBC when I’m older’
Page 23 3.2 Feedback from Teachers
‘What we found most interesting was how kids with learning difficulties and lower achievers were so motivated by BBC News School Report. This is an excellent, rewarding and insightful project. Completing it in Gaelic has been great so kids can see a minority language used in a lively way! ‘ Chrisma Dhomhnallach, Plockton High School, Scotland
Teachers told us BBC News School Report is ‘extremely valuable’ and that it benefited talented and gifted pupils as well as those with low ability. They said School Report gives pupils transferable skills which could be used in other lessons, e.g. reporting the results of a chemistry experiment (i.e. who, what, when, where, why?). Teachers said deadlines motivated students and that they are considering becoming stricter in class about deadlines for homework.
School Report accelerated learning e.g. fact versus opinion isn’t usually taught until Year 10. Teachers told us that students are normally reluctant to research properly, check their work and correct mistakes. With School Report it was different. Pupils saw a purpose to learning. Teachers said the tangible outcome of School Report was much more exciting than a grade and thus was also a ‘huge motivator’. It also created pride.
Literacy, critical thinking skills, IT mastery, spoken and presentation skills all improved. One boy who had never spoken in class before, happily presented his own TV news bulletin. Confidence is up.
Teachers are constantly looking for new projects and ways to teach literacy What they learnt about journalism is so good, they want to integrate it into general English lessons e.g. they could do Romeo & Juliet fight scene as a news report. Teachers said they felt School Report is ‘backing them up’ in reinforcing the importance of accuracy, good grammar, correct spelling and checking work
Page 24 before submitting it, whereas before, pupils regarded this as an unnecessary chore.
Many said that having lesson plans meant it was no extra work to take part in School Report – there was some relief about this! Having used the School Report lesson plans, teachers tell us they will adapt them for use in other subjects.
BBC staff are an ‘essential’ not a ‘nice to have’: Whether the School Report project team or BBC mentors, direct face to face contact and editorial expertise with schools was highly valued. Teachers said they learnt a huge amount from journalists. Bringing the BBC into schools was seen by some BBC staff as essential to ‘plugging the gap between the BBC and its audiences’.
Teachers did have some criticisms of School Report. Teachers said they felt weary about the form-filling (and 6-8 weeks notice) as they already have so much admin in their working day. Teachers wanted the BBC journalism mentors to come to their school more often. Some teachers wanted more editorial training themselves, before introducing pupils to School Report.
‘I thought there was a barrier because no subtitles were provided and the online modules aren’t in sign language. I thought the BBC and the school will have to learn from each other. The BBC supplied us with subtitles and we cranked it up and made it very visual and suitable for the children.’ Teacher, Elmfield Secondary School for Deaf Children, Bristol
“Don’t discount low ability pupils. One of our biggest successes was a boy with ADHD who is in a low set – he took part in every stage of the day and was even interviewed for television – done right, all pupils can access it”
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3.3 Feedback from BBC Staff
‘None of them can name let alone read a newspaper….but many of them use Google and the Newsround website’
BBC journalism mentors said nearly all the pupils were enthusiastic, fast learners who gradually took greater intellectual risks in terms of the stories they covered, than their teachers had initially encouraged. This was due to lack of confidence of teachers and thus showed the added value of BBC mentors going into schools. As mentioned earlier in this report, the experience of an adult professional who is not a teacher going into schools, was a benefit to pupils’ development in itself.
There was agreement amongst a large number of mentors about the benefits for them and their programmes. They felt that they broadcast output they would not otherwise have got, and that they gained a better understanding of this audience. They felt that having a mentor made the project feel real for the school and the students.
They did however share concerns about the ability of some of the schools to use the technology (which a lot of them had but never used), and to put their bulletin together on the day. A lot of them felt that they had spent more time with the schools than the two days originally allocated and requested more clarity about the role of the mentors. This is something that the school report team will address in year 2.
‘One remarkable young boy with what seemed to be an Eastern European accent, did his own thing and produced a running order on a PC which he illustrated with photos and graphics. He justified his choices with great insight and clarity……It reminded me of why I was a journalist in the first place’ Paul Deal, BBC mentor
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‘I noticed significant progress during the day. One particularly quiet girl ended up producing a very polished piece, full of detail, context and humour, which she performed with shining confidence and perfect pact to camera…..All the students demonstrated greater confidence in themselves and their material.’ BBC Mentor
‘I’ve just come off a hostile environment course wandering through minefields, being shot at and kidnapped….none of was as frightening as being faced with a class of 12 year olds.’ Vicky Ridell, BBC Mentor
It should be noted that the BBC can tap into a much wider pool of mentors, other than BBC newsroom journalists. This could include Sport, Religion and Technical teams. One mentor who is an engineer, evidences the rich two-way learning that happened when he teamed up with a school for BBC News School Report:
‘I believe this project enriched our output by giving us new voices, new stories and a new understanding of our school communities and the people we broadcast to. It’s also given Year 8 pupils an opportunity to see BBC life they might otherwise not have witnessed.’ Martyn Strong, Broadcast Engineer & BBC Mentor.
Page 27 3.4 Feedback from the School Report Team
The BBC News School Report team was very happy with the News Day. Story ideas and content from pupils was high quality. Teacher engagement grew consistently. The odd school dropped out at the last minute, but the majority were keen to learn as much as they could from the BBC, which teachers said they trusted.
The regions in which multi-platform working was at its best tended to have one person liaising with TV, Radio and Online to ensure all schools in that patch got coverage.
Key successes are covered in the pupil, teacher and mentor feedback section of this report.
However there are certain challenges. Communication with teachers and schools was not always easy – comments included teachers being ‘way behind filling in forms and never answering their mobile phones or emails.’ Students needed ‘constant chivvying up to meet their deadlines’. In certain cases neither pupils nor teachers fully understood what journalism is. There was a sense with some schools that they were ‘passively signing up’ but then not expecting to have to make an effort to do anything.
In many cases, ‘the technology proved too overwhelming, so pupils were told to think simple, short and safe. Don’t aim too high’. Many schools struggled to access the video on the School Report website, making it necessary to post DVDs to all the participating schools. This may not be scaleable as the number of schools increases.
The team is also aware that a lot of information and emails were sent to BBC staff. This was partly owing to the fact that this was a pilot year, and unforeseen issues arose which needed to be communicated.
Page 28 3.5 Feedback from Senior News Editors
‘There was some really clever content throughout the day on Five Live.’ Stephen Mitchell, BBC Head of Radio News
‘If you want an indication of how well this could be made to work, listen to Five Live Breakfast. We heard eleven different languages spoken at the Primrose High School in inner city Leeds. We heard from the man teaching English as an additional language, and the deputy head who explained that the school was offering GCSEs in foreign languages. In addition, we heard a burst from a pupils' band ‘Obnoxious Jamboree’, which prompted Nicky Campbell to ask the audience: What was the name of your band when you were in school? Countless great examples but our favorite response was the guy who said: "Our south Oxfordshire band of modest ambition was called Frankie goes to Wallingford! Outstanding.’ Matt Morris, BBC Radio 5- Live Head of News.
The range, depth and richness of the material was astonishing - I really believe it will change attitudes in some of our newsrooms and the legacy potential is also considerable. David Holdsworth, Acting Head English Regions
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4 LONGER TERM THINKING
4.1 Potential long term impact
Many teachers we spoke to are convinced of the long term impact and sustainability of BBC News School Report. They said that in addition to learning news-specific skills, pupils are also gaining transferable life skills which they predict will help them as individuals and as part of society as they develop into adults.
‘I want to say that BBC School Report News Day summed up what public service broadcasting is all about. A superb example of dedicated work from BBC staff who accepted the students as equal all the way through. Terence Fitch, Head of English & Media, Tile Hill Wood School. Coventry
‘With high ability students, they are getting the chance to be mini-editors and IT consultants, so School Report is giving them leadership opportunities. Some are now able to run workshops on their own, so they’re teaching others. Certain pupils are now clearly thinking about becoming journalists when they leave school. The life skills learnt through making news reports will give lower ability students a better chance to gain work experience, help them in job interviews later, give them good people / communication skills and help their vocabulary. There is definitely long term impact to a project like this.’ Vesna Klein, Brentside High School, West London
Page 31 Teachers told us School Report has given pupils an understanding about the need to be informed about local, national and global issues. Year 8s are starting to talk about the news at home. They are showing their parents and siblings their school website and BBC websites.
Pupils are becoming their own critical internal editors of information. They can deconstruct, sift and evaluate information. Some teachers said pupils are questioning the world around them more critically.
One teacher said School Report could cause a shift in society because ‘because understanding how things happen, means you can change or prevent them’. She also felt that School Report is making children better consumers of news in a world where 'we are fighting misinformation, celebrity, gossip'.
Teachers say the project has achieved a new commitment to learn from pupils. Listening skills are better, pupils have a wider vocabulary and are better able to verbally defend themselves in an argument or potential future job interview. Teachers noticed increased self esteem and ‘clearly feel empowered’. Fear of failure to be perfect decreased and pupils are more willing to take a risk and try something new.
‘This boy has never spoken before in class yet I’ve just seen him present his own news report. I am convinced this project is giving low ability children more confidence and self esteem. I am also convinced that BBC News School Report will cut bullying in our school because pupils are able to defend themselves verbally.’ Sherril Townsend, Brentside High School, West London.
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4.2 Long Term strategy and aspirations
• Every school in the UK accesses BBC News School Report • The BBC captures and works out how to exploit the way in which young people create, experience and react to news in user generated formats e.g. phone imagery, personal vodcasts from friend to friend, i.e. not via a news provider • School Report gives Key Stage 3 pupils a ‘voice’ for issues that matter to an age group which is currently underrepresented on air • School children become more engaged in the world around them and become more confident in speaking up about what matters to them • The BBC makes use of its resource of contacts in more than 100 schools in order to create more imaginative coverage of education and youth issues • Develop an exciting cross platform audience proposition for each year of School Report • Make School Report coverage more content and less event focussed as the project becomes mainstream.
4.3 Recommendations & suggestions for year 2
• Keep the momentum throughout the school year with a weekly TV or News Interactive report? • Build quality of TV, radio, online content • Further develop links with other school related projects across the BBC • Draw mentors from across the BBC e.g. engineers, Sport, Religion not just news producers • Make School Report available to all Key Stage 3 pupils i.e. Years 7, 8 and 9 rather than just Year 8 as at present
Page 33 • Offer schools a package of photos on different topics that kids can use for their news stories without copyright issues • Review BBC School Report News Day date. Teachers are split about the best time to do this project with requests for all three terms. The date is set for 2008, but there will be a review of the date for subsequent years. • Evaluation. If more money were available, a more formal project evaluation could be done by a specialist external company. • Explore the possibility of linking School Report with Teachers’ Continuous Personal Development (CPD) so they can gain credits if they run the project.
4.4 CONCLUSION
BBC News School Report is ‘real’ to pupils, therefore the learning it stimulates matters and motivates. Year 8s learned valuable news related and non-news skills. These can be of use to them throughout their school and future careers. They gained a greater connection with news and the world around them. Pupils and teachers said the project is fun and has become part of conversation outside school, i.e. in the family home. Teachers say BBC News School Report is ‘well worth developing’ and that it offers ‘excellent transferable skills’. It gives excellent exposure to technology. It is particularly noteable and rewarding that teachers think there is so much long term potential impact of BBC News School Report.
BBC School Report Live News Day is currently set for March 13th 2008. The team will use this year’s pilot as a learning tool to improve the School Report project. By responding to feedback from Year 8 pupils, their teachers, their BBC mentors and news editors, the team hopes to make School Report’s second year a great success.
Page 34
APPENDICES
Appendix 1 – What pupils said they had learned
Appendix 2 – What teachers said they had learned
Appendix 3 – Teachers view of long term impact of School Report
Appendix 4 - Issues that matter to 12 and 13 year olds
Appendix 5 - Questions for the Prime Minister .
Appendix 6 - List of schools
Appendix 7 - Summary of the day from the website
Page 35
APPENDIX 1 – WHAT PUPILS SAID THEY HAD LEARNED
• To ask what, where, when, who, why? • Asking open questions • Racism: fact or opinion? • Accuracy: ‘even the smallest mistake could make it all go wrong’ • Balance in reporting: ‘Finding out hard core facts and being fair’ • People lie, so you uncover the truth • Legal rights e.g. couldn’t use BBC weather graphics, so designed their own • Story selection • Prioritising news stories within a bulletin • ‘You need to cheer the audience up at the end if there have been lots of murders on the bulletin’ • Justifying why a story should go into the news bulletin (critical thinking) • The importance of deadlines • Word count • Writing skills: ‘I had to redraft my script countless times’ • Seeing the point of correcting your work • Listening to instructions better • Researching words and pictures • Prepare carefully for interviews • Interview technique • Trying for an exclusive from a famous person! • Don’t give interview questions in advance • Having an argument about the news is still fun • Learning how to film the news • Learning how to edit • How to access i-tunes software • Learning new software: ‘Using real high tech equipment’
Page 36 • How to do my own podcast • Making news reports relevant to audiences • Thinking who is watching at what time of day e.g. dustmen early, office workers later, school children at tea time but before Simpsons or Neighbours comes on • How to get the younger generation interested in the news e.g. adding comic FX • The variety of jobs there are in making the news, not just the presenters
Pupils told us about the transferable non-news specific skills they had learned: • Patience ‘which I can use in all my lessons’ • Researching information • Time management: ‘the pressure really spurred me on to finish’ • Researching skills • Writing skills • Accurate spelling and grammar • To go back and correct your work • ‘How to break down the words in the newspaper’ (i.e. critical thinking) • Politics: ‘I didn’t even know what it was until today’ • ‘I never knew that it was so hard to make the news’ • Asking questions to adults, public figures** and celebrities • Working together towards a shared goal to a deadline • Teamwork
Page 37 APPENDIX 2 - WHAT TEACHERS SAID PUPILS HAD LEARNED
• Deadlines motivate – transferable to normal classes i.e. teachers thinking about being stricter about homework deadlines • Accelerating learning e.g. fact vs. opinion usually taught in year 10 not year 8 • News making reinforces the importance of real deadlines • Reluctance to redraft written work after mistakes has gone as children see the point of improving their work (e.g. making report shorter, correcting names, working to time frame so not dropped from the bulletin) • Researching, retrieving and writing up information has improved (when pupils struggled before) • Critical thinking • Literacy skills improved • Listening skills improved • Spoken word skills (e.g. presenting news report) • Tangible outcome of a news report is a huge motivator • Tangible outcome of the learning so much more exciting than a grade • Children are engrossed in what they are doing • Children working independently • Children collaborating in teams • Children spontaneously knowledge sharing / mentoring each other • Children are able to communicate a message to an audience • Boosts pride as youngsters become leaders to other youngsters • High and low ability students both benefit hugely • Benefits for EFL children
Page 38
APPENDIX 3 – TEACHERS VIEW OF THE LONG TERM IMPACT OF SCHOOL REPORT
• Exposure to and consequent better ability to relate to adults in a professional way, e.g. Pupils view BBC mentors as peers not like teachers where it’s a top-down relationship • Girls are speaking up more when usually reluctant • Helps broaden general knowledge • Leadership opportunities for more able students • Boosts social skills with other children • Benefits for low ability / learning difficulty children to take back into the classroom, e.g. one boy had not spoken in class before School Report and now he does
• Critical analysis with pupils becoming their own internal editor of information, sifting fact from fiction and asking themselves what is and what is not being said in a news report. • Deconstructing skills - e.g. congestion charge - what is it? Why it matters? Finding out the answers, then bringing it all together - thus children learning to understand subjects they previously weren't interested . • Discriminating skills - knowing when you must use good grammar e.g. in a job application versus when you don't need to e.g. texting to a mate • Promotes self directed learning in the future as children realise they want to find out about something and then know how to research it and inform themselves. • Developmental - broadening out children who are normally withdrawn and don't share information with others • Self esteem up - final production applause does amazing things .
Page 39 APPENDIX 4 – ISSUES THAT MATTER TO 12 AND 13 YEAR OLDS
• Mobile phones – the price of calls • Green issues – global warming • Exercise in school – not enough P.E. so want activities in breaktime, e,g, dance mats could be provided • Discrimination in shops – 2 kids at a time rule • Student discount – why don’t they give schoolchildren discounts? • Image of Hackney being the worst place to live • Olympics • Britishness and identity • History and now issues in local area live • Science • Transport – ‘why don’t they make double decker trains?’ • Why boxing was banned in schools in 1962 • School security measures • Pressure to diet
• Big Brother racism row • Boy who choked on a pen lid • Boy expelled for eating an apple in the wrong place at school (i.e. healthy eating outrage plus apples decompose) • Chelsea football club • Rocky makes next movie • Fares going up but no seat on the bus or tube • Pupils in school uniform thrown off the bus if they haven’t got a youth i.d. card • Weather – storms • Dangerous roads near their school • Graffiti
Page 40 • The Olympics • Afghanistan • Children in care homes • Obesity • Britney’s looks • 100 local burglaries in the past month • Local war memorial stolen • Switch off lights campaign • Red Nose Day interview with sumo wrestler • Big Brother Book Reading Campaign • Science week
Page 41 APPENDIX 5 – QUESTIONS FOR THE PRIME MINISTER
‘Mr Blair….we all know that global warming is a serious problem and yet many people are still using their cars and motorbikes to travel around London and lots of people are going abroad with their families on planes. So obviously congestion charge is not really helping. What else could you do to stop global warming. Also, you use your car and planes to go abroad.’
‘There’s a park near more house. The swings have been taken down because they keep on getting vandalised. A girl was attacked by dogs on a lead there. I’m too scared to go there. What would you do to make that park safe?’
‘You’ve spent loads of money on schools. I still get really bored at school. What are you going to do about it?’
‘I’m 13 and I’m going to have to live with the consequence of global warming. What is the government going to do to cut the price of solar panels and wind turbines so people like me can afford them?
‘I am a 13 year old Kurd. When I say I’m Kurdish no one seems to know where it is or its history. Lots of my family died after the actions of Saddam Hussein and Chemical Ali. How can you convince the British public that these are causes worth fighting for?’
‘What are you going to do when you stop being Prime Minister?’
Page 42 Appendix 6 – List of schools participating
School Address 1 Address 2 Postcode Acton High School London W3 8EY Babington College Leicester LE4 0SZ Barking Abbey Barking Essex IG11 9AG Comprehensive School Bemrose Community School Derby DE22 3HU Bishop Hedley RC School Penydarren Glamorgan CF47 9AN Bishop's Hatfield Girls' Hatfield Herts AL10 8NL School Bishops Park College Clacton-on- Essex CO16 8BE Sea Blessed Trinity RC College Burnley Lancs BB11 5BT Bonus Pastor School Bromley London BR1 5PZ Brentside High School Hanwell London W7 1JJ Bridge of Don Academy Aberdeen AB22 8RR Broomfield School Southgate London N14 7HY Burlington Danes London W12 0HL Camden School for Girls London NW5 2DB Central Manchester CLC Chantry High School and Ipswich Suffolk IP2 9LR Sixth Form Centre Charles Edward Brooke London SW9 6UL School Charters School Sunningdale Berks SL5 9QY Chatham South School Chatham Kent ME4 6NT Chorlton High School Chorlton Manchester M21 7SL
Clapton Girls Technology London E5 0RB College Coombeshead College Newton Devon TQ12 1PT Abbot Cottingham High School Cottingham East Yorks HU16 5PX Dartmouth Community Dartmouth Devon TQ6 9HW College Deptford Green School London SE14 6LQ Drayton Manor High School Hanwell London W7 1EU
Duston School Duston Northants NN5 6XA
Page 43
School Address 1 Address 2 Postcode Ealing CLC Elmcourt Special School London SE27 9BZ Elmfield School for Deaf Children Bristol BS7 9NL Eltham Hill Technology College for London SE9 5EE Girls Featherstone High School Southall Middlesex UB2 5HF
Forest Hill Boys School London SE23 2XN Fort Hill Community School Basingstoke Hampshire RG23 8JQ
Greenford High School Greenford Middlesex UB6 9RX
Greenwich CLC Greenwood Dale School Nottingham NG2 4GL
Guildford County School Guildford GU2 4LU
Hackney CLC Hackney Free and Parochial London E9 6NR School Haggerston School London E2 8LS Hampstead Secondary School London NW2 3RT Hartshill Technology College Nuneaton Warwickshire CV10 ONA
Haverstock Secondary School London NW32BQ Hillhead High School Glasgow GL12 8LJ
Hurlingham and Chelsea London SW6 3ED Secondary School Inverness Royal Academy Inverness IV2 6RE
John Cabot City Technology Bristol BS15 8BD College Kelso High School Kelso TD5 7EG Kidbrooke School London SE3 8EP Knutsford High School Knutsford Cheshire WA16 0EA
La Mare de Casteret Guernsey GY5 7FL La Sainte Union Catholic School London NW5 1RP Lambeth CLC Le Rocquier School Jersey JE2 6QP Les Beaucamps School Guernsey GY5 7DS Lewisham CLC
Page 44
School Address 1 Address 2 Postcode Lilian Baylis Technology London SE11 5QY School Limvady High School Londonderry BT49 9AN Longsands College St Neots Cambridgeshire PE19 1LQ
Loreto College St Albans Herts AL1 3RQ Lyng Hall School Coventry CV2 3JS Lynn Grove VA High School Great Norfolk NR31 8AP Yarmouth Manchester Academy Manchester M14 4PX
Marden High School Tyne and Wear NE 30 3RZ
Maria Fidelis RC Convent London NW1 2HR School Matthew Arnold School Oxford OX2 9JE Myers Grove Secondary Sheffield S6 5HG School Nantyglo Comprehensive Brynmawr Gwent NP23 4WX School Newfield Secondary School Sheffield S8 9JP Norham Community Tyne and Wear NE29 7BU Technology College North Walsham High NR28 9HZ School Northgate High School Dereham Norfolk NR19 2EU Northolt High Northolt Middlesex UB5 4HW Our Lady's Convent High London N16 5AF School Paddington Academy London W2 1LF Paible School North Uist Outer Hebrides HS6 5DF Park Community School Havant PO9 4BU Park High School Prenton Merseyside CH43 4UY
Park House School Newbury Berks RG14 6NQ
Page 45
School Address 1 Address 2 Postcode Piggott School Reading Berks RG10 8DS
Plockton High School Ross-shire Scotland IV52 8TU
Plumstead Manor School London SE18 1QF Poltair School St Austell Cornwall PL25 4BZ
Primrose High School Leeds West Yorks LS9 7NL
Quintin Kynaston London NW8 0NL
Rainhill High School Prescot Merseyside L35 6NY
Reading School Reading Berks RG1 5LW
Rednock School Dursley Gloucs GL11 4BY Ryburn Valley High School Sowerby Yorkshire HX6 1DF
Shawlands Academy Glasgow G41 3TR Sheffield South CLC Shepshed High School Loughborough LE12 9DA Sion Manning RC Girls' School London W10 6EL Sir James Smith's Humanities Camelford Cornwall PL32 9UJ College South Camden CLC South Camden Community London NW1 1RG School South Hunsley School North East Yorks HU14 3HS Ferriby St Andrew's School Bedford MK40 2PA St Bede's Inter-Church Cambridge CB1 3TB Comprehensive School St Catherine's Catholic School Bexleyheath Kent DA6 7QJ for Girls St Cecilia's College Londonderry BT48 9PJ
St John Wall Catholic School Birmingham B21 8HH St Joseph's Boys School Londonderry BT48 9NX St Marylebone School London W1U 5BA St Robert of Newminster RC Tyne and Wear NE38 8AF School
Page 46
School Address 1 Address 2 Postcode St Thomas More Stoke-on-Trent ST3 2NJ Catholic College Stanchester Stoke-sub- Somerset TA14 6UG Community School Hamdon Sydney Smith School Kingston Upon HU10 6UU Hull Thomas Tallis School London SE3 9PX The City of Lincoln Lincoln LN6 0EP Community College The Corbet School Shrewsbury Shropshire SY4 2AX The Grove School Market Drayton Shropshire TF9 1HF
The Gryphon School Sherborne Dorset DT9 4EQ The Parkside Cambridge CB1 1EH Federation The Unity Academy Middlesborough TS3 8RE
The Weald School Billingshurst West Sussex RH14 9RY
Thomas Adams School Shropshire SY4 5UB
Tile Hill Wood School Coventry CV4 9PW Trinity C of E High Hulme Manchester M15 6HP School Verbal Arts Centre Villiers High School Southall Middlesex UB1 3BT Wales High School Sheffield S26 5QQ Westminster Kensington and Chelsea CLC Whalley Range High Manchester M16 8GW School Wigmore High School Wigmore North HR6 9UW Herefordshire William Ellis School London NW5 1RN William Howard School Brampton Cumbria CA8 1AR Willingdon Community Eastbourne East Sussex BN20 9QX School Wootton Bassett Wootton Bassett Wiltshire SN4 7HD School Wythywood School Bristol BS13 9BL Ysgol Morgan Llwyd Wrexham Wales LL13 9NG
Page 47 Appendix 7 – Report from the School Report website on March 22nd
School Report News Day - hour by hour
Students from more than 100 schools across the UK have taken part in live broadcasts on this website.
The day's highlights can be seen on the School Report website.
BBC reporters have visited schools around the country to see what pupils are producing and offering their own expertise.
Read below to see what happened and where.
1555 :: BBC DIRECTOR GENERAL ON SCHOOL REPORT
School Report is a new departure for the BBC but, judging by the response so far from students in schools all over the UK, it's struck a chord already, writes BBC Director General Mark Thompson.
I spoke to Scott, a student at Shawlands Academy in Glasgow, who has spent the day working on a story about a 14-year-old former pupil who is an asylum-seeker now at risk of deportation.
Students are organising a petition calling for her to be allowed to remain in the UK - and to return to her studies at Shawlands.
It's their top story and it's going to feature not just in the school's own news report but on Reporting Scotland on BBC One Scotland this evening.
"The whole experience has been fantastic," Scott told me: "I've decided I want to become a journalist."
School Report may inspire some 12- and 13-year-olds to consider a career in the media. But we also hope it will make all the students who take part in it think about journalism, media and the big issues of the day in a new way.
Like everyone else at the BBC, I'm very proud of School Report. One hundred or so schools have taken part in this first year. Next year, I'm sure it will be many, many more.
After interviewing the students and staff at the school, Mark Thompson said: "There is a lot of excitement about School Report at Shawlands in Scotland.
"It's interesting to hear about students who believed that there weren't any news stories in their area, but after thinking about it, realised there were some great stories under their noses."
1550:: A DEMOCRATIC EDITORIAL APPROACH
Page 48 TOP ISSUES OF THE DAY School leaving age Healthy eating Size zero Global warming Death of Pakistan cricket coach Slave trade Crime and gang culture School buildings Launch of Playstation 3 Royal Navy submarine accident
There was no autocratic editor in charge of the newsroom at Barking Abbey Comprehensive School, east London.
Instead decisions on the programme content and running order were taken with a show of hands.
They were not just democratic, but quick on their feet too, choosing the school leaving age story as their lead item.
Teacher Gareth Carey said he was impressed: "They found their stories, researched them then had a meeting. It was obvious education would be the top story."
DuShann, 12, presented the weather and sports news.
"I'm glad I did it," he said, "I got a bit nervous at the beginning but it gives me inspiration as to what to do when I'm older."
"I'd like to work for the BBC when I'm older. But I want to be an animation artist. My dream job is working at Pixar."
1535 :: CAMERON'S BOYBAND BOWLOVER
"If the Conservative Party was to form a boyband, who would be in it?" was just one of the questions fired at Conservative Party Leader David Cameron by four school reporters from Park House School in Berkshire.
Sadly, Mr Cameron was quick to rule out the possibility on the grounds that "there are no wannabe members of Take That."
Bridie, 12, said: "I asked the question because politics is sometimes a bit boring and I thought it would be interesting to see who he chose."
Bridie had previously asked Mr Cameron who he would invite to a dinner party; Tony Blair or Gordon Brown?.
Rhys, 13, pressed Mr Cameron on his environmental credentials, asking why he had recently taken a short flight in the UK despite pledging to adopt greener policies.
Cameron interview in full
1525 :: GIRLS BECOME RADIO STARS
Page 49 Pupils from St Catherine's Catholic School for Girls in Bexleyheath, Kent, have impressed their BBC mentor with an admirable display of their journalistic skills.
Not only did the 13-year-olds show great news sense in seizing on a BBC News website story about a teacher in Nigeria being killed by her pupils, but they also presented a bulletin live on local radio.
The 13 girls produced and presented the 1400 bulletin on community station TGR Sound, based in Erith.
Then they prepared a pre-recorded bulletin for 1600. Both are due to appear on the station's website as well as on School Report.
Mentor Marie Helly said: "They were very nervous but they did really well. The Nigeria story was the kind we would have run on The World Tonight, where I work".
1515 :: SCHOOL REPORTERS HIT THE SIX
One of the School Reporters at Bridge of Don Academy has recorded a piece to camera for the BBC's Six O'Clock News.
The programme was interested in a series of radio packages the School Report team has been producing.
One, already played on BBC Radio Scotland, was an interview with three star players at Aberdeen Football Club.
Team sports reporter Ross said: "This experience was really good as it opened our eyes to the possible future all of us could have in sports journalism."
1512 :: INSIDE DOWNING STREET
Students from three different schools have been to interview Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Pardeep, from Lyng Hall school in the West Midlands, was among them.
The 13-year-old quizzed the prime minister on global warming. She said Mr Blair told her that the government is trying to do everything it can to solve the problem.
Politics aside, Pardeep said Number 10 was, "really posh inside", and she added that her visit was: "Absolutely fantastic, it's something that is going to stay in my memory for the rest of my life".
Blair interview in full
1500 :: PRIMROSE HIGH TACKLE STORIES THAT MATTER
School Reporters at Primrose High School have been tackling the school leaving age, more money for schools in the Budget and the launch of Playstation 3.
They have also been investigating an Easter egg robbery after some of the chocolates were stolen from the back of a lorry.
Page 50 Shabana, 12, said: "It's tiring but it's fun. I chose to do the launch of the Playstation 3 - I think kids and adults would like it. I did some interviews, asking people at my school if they were going buy one."
1455:: MANHOLE SHOCK - KIDS ARE LOOKING INTO IT!
Wootton Bassett pupils went in search of the "hole" truth when they discovered that a woman had fallen down one.
The children, from the town's specialist technology college, interviewed the woman, who told them she suffered two cracked ribs and bruising.
However, the story is not yet complete - no one seems to know who the hole belongs to.
1432 :: PUPIL WINS BUS FARE CAMPAIGN
A pupil at Chatham South School in Kent is celebrating on School Report day after helping secure half-price bus fares for him and his fellow pupils.
George, who is in Year 8, spearheaded a campaign with his mother, Jenette, to persuade bus providers to subsidise services before 9am.
The news made front page on the Chatham South's School Report website, alongside a variety of other reports about the school, the area and even abroad.
Another breaking-news story was the announcement that the school was to receive a council grant of £1,000, which the pupils will help decide how to spend.
During their hectic day, the 30 12- and 13-year-olds also appeared on BBC regional television and local radio.
1425 :: BORO ASK QUESTIONS OF REPORTERS
Reporters from the Unity Academy found themselves answering questions as well as asking them when they went to interview Middlesbrough football team.
"They asked us if we enjoyed school and what we wanted to do after we left," the sound editor, Catherine, 14, said.
The School Reporters videoed the encounter and later added music to clips of the players talking to camera.
"It was amazing - an absolutely unbelievable experience. Everyone was extremely excited," Catherine added.
1419 :: LIVE WEATHER FROM LEWISHAM
Lewisham City Learning Centre website hosted a live weather predicting a chilly end to the week.
Two of its students, Michelle and Jenny, acted as anchors, and the team used BBC graphics and music to give the webcast an authentic feel.
Page 51 Students from Bonus Pastor Catholic College, Deptford Green and Forest Hill schools were involved in the broadcast.
1418 :: FULL INTERVIEWS WITH PARTY LEADERS
The full interviews with the political party leaders are being broadcast.
Students from Coventry quizzed Tony Blair at his offices in Number 10 Downing Street.
Questions included the war in Iraq, education, and what Mr Blair will do once he finishes his role as prime minister.
1410 :: HOODIE BAN TOPS WILLINGDON BULLETIN
A recent ban on hoodies and mp3 players in school is the lead item in a TV news bulletin prepared by pupils at Willingdon School in Eastbourne.
Ten school reporters filmed segments for the report on video cameras, including vox-pops with pupils and an interview with the headmaster.
Second item on the bulletin was a controversial plan to close a maternity ward at a local hospital.
1400 :: REGIONAL REPORTS BROADCAST SCHOOL NEWS
Some 40 local radio stations across England and the Channel Islands have been broadcasting reports made by students.
In Cornwall the lunchtime phone-in came live from Sir James Smith School in Camelford, where the presenter got to pick the brains of children as to the important news of the day.
The radio car at BBC Essex visited Bishops Park School in Clacton where the students experienced how journalists reach the top of their game - battling against the elements to broadcast live in very windy conditions.
Many stations have been broadcasting school bulletins, like Lancashire, where it came from their fully equipped bus.
Marden High School in Newcastle also had to contend with going live not once (for BBC Breakfast Television) but twice on BBC Radio Newcastle throughout the day.
But it's not just in England - on BBC Cymru students have been giving their bulletins in Welsh.
1345 :: SCHOOL LEAVING AGE AND KNIFE CRIME
Pupils at Sion Manning RC Girls' School in London have suggested a possible link with raising the school-leaving age and reducing knife crime.
They discussed the issue on their TV bulletin which they have just finished editing in time for broadcast at 1400GMT.
The news anchor for the day, Nassra, 13, said working to a deadline was the hardest part of the project.
Page 52 "It was fun and I enjoyed," she said, "but you had to get all done in a couple of hours."
1341 :: BREAKING NEWS AT CHARTERS SCHOOL
The international news desk at Charters School in Sunningdale, Berkshire, has been working on breaking news about the violence in Somalia, and the death of two soldiers after an accident onboard submarine HMS Tireless.
An email wire feed has been set up in the school to allow the reporters to update their stories as and when new developments occur.
Editor Jack, 13, said that this meant that his team had to work quickly to get the very latest news published as soon as possible.
Jack added: "We've also done some stories about celebrities, the kind of thing you find in non- serious papers. I'm in charge because I started bossing the others around! I'm like Gordon Ramsay, but not with the swearing."
1340 :: SCHOOL REPORTERS GO LIVE ON RADIO
Reporters from St Robert of Newminster School have been quizzed live on Radio Newcastle after one of the producers spotted them on a tour of BBC studios.
He was producing a programme about school discipline when he spotted the pupils and decided to put them on air.
Three of the School Reporters ended up giving their views on the programme.
And the experience stood them in good stead as they later landed an exclusive interview themselves - with the star player in a football team.
1330 :: LUNCHTIME DEBATE IN GUILDFORD
The hot topic of whether students should be allowed to eat their lunch outside the canteen is the lead item on a radio bulletin being prepared by the school report newsroom at Guildford County School.
Tom, 13, said: "We did vox pops with kids and interviewed dinner ladies and the deputy head about the rule.
"She said it can't be changed because of the litter problem. If you break the rule at the moment you get a detention - and it's a bad detention because you have to go and pick gum off from under the desks."
Finbarr, 13, also interviewed TV composer Howard Goodall - who wrote the themes to Blackadder and the Catherine Tate show - about music in schools.
School Reporters also spoke to a professor from a local sleep institute about the effect of sleep deprivation on 13-year-olds.
1325 :: SOUND OF MUSIC WOWS AUDIENCE
St Cecilia's College are preparing to broadcast their news reports live on BBC Radio Ulster.
Page 53 They covered at least 15 different stories but one of the highlights was the school show - a production of The Sound of Music.
The students filmed the preparations as well as the final performance, which was a huge hit with the audience.
1315 :: STUDENTS UNCOVER LOCAL HISTORY
A condemned tyre depot in a Norfolk town has been found to have a secret history as a World War One hanger.
Students at North Walsham High School were able to visit the building before demolition contractors move in.
They discovered it had been built in 1915 on an airfield at Bacton, also in Norfolk, and was used until 1919. Parts of the dismantled building will go to museums in London, Glasgow and Norwich.
School Reporter Jack, 13, said: "When I got there it seemed empty. It was an ugly building, but it's history."
The story will be posted along with others on the school's website.
"Doing it was better than a lot of stories," said Jack, "We got to go out and to talk to people on the phone."
1309 :: HEAD BLAMES UNCARING PARENTS
The head teacher at Broomfield School in London says it is busy parents and not rap music that is to blame for knife crime.
Angus Walker told School Reporters that he thought children turned to violence when they didn't get enough attention from their parents.
He was being interviewed as part of the school's coverage of the BBC's News Day, which will also include a feature on tattoos and Wembley stadium.
1300 :: COOMBESHEAD COLLEGE MAKES NEWS
Students at Coombeshead College have made a video looking at how students feel about School Report and some of the issues they will be covering on the day.
Watch the report here:
Students make the news
1258 :: OUR SCHOOL IS LIKE A TARDIS IN REVERSE
Bishops Park College in Clacton, Essex is actually three schools in one, say its pupils. They have been preparing a radio report on what makes it so special.
The three "schools within a school" are called Lighthouses, Windmills and Towers.
Page 54 One of the reasons behind the split is for students to be able to work with a smaller group of teachers as they progress.
Kane, 13,said: "I like it because it looks really big from the outside, but is small inside. It's like the opposite of the tardis."
1225 :: MORE BOBBIES ON THE BUSES
There will be more police patrolling the buses in west London, Labour MP Steve Pound has revealed to pupils at Drayton Manor High School.
The Ealing North MP told School Reporters that the increase in policing followed a number of assaults and robberies on public transport.
He was talking to the school's media club which is busy preparing a 15-minute TV bulletin.
As well as the interview with Mr Pound, there will also be items on school meals and the abolition of slavery.
1240 :: FORT HILL INSIGHT INTO AFRICA
A 22-strong team of Year 8 reporters at Fort Hill School in Basingstoke have been writing online previews of their forthcoming Africa Week, in which their school will link up with pupils in Africa.
Closer to home, students have been finding out more about plans to build a new local football pitch, interviewing representatives from the construction company as well as the Hampshire Football Association.
Students have also turned their hand to news graphic design by preparing a picture to illustrate a report about overweight pets, and are even working on a weather forecast, to be presented by Sam, 13.
Teacher Sue Morley-Smith said: "The group has been organised into three teams, with one or two editors per group. Later, they're going to write blogs about their personal thoughts about the day".
1235:: GREAT BRITAIN DAY FOR WITHYWOOD
The BBC's man on the spot made sure pupils at Withywood School in Bristol had a packed news agenda to sift through.
A total of 50 youngsters, aged 13 to 15, are taking part, covering news stories around the city and on their own doorstep.
Among the subjects of their audio, video and text reports are the planned new shopping centre at Cabot Circus, the redevelopment of their own school, its links with schools in Uganda and the restoration of masts on Brunel's SS Great Britain.
Their BBC mentor, Stephen Lamb, said children had interviewed key people involved with the school redevelopment project and some of the restorers who had been working up the masts of Brunel's landmark ship.
"It has been an extraordinary day, and they have all been very enthusiastic," he said.
Page 55 1232 :: POLTAIR PUPILS TURN FASHION DESIGNERS
It is the 100th anniversary of Poltair School and to celebrate students have been given the chance to design a new school uniform.
Now the competition is down to a few designs and there is a lot of debate about which is best.
School Reporters have been asking teachers what they think.
"It's really really interesting and I've gained leadership skills from being the news editor. I chose the uniform story because it's been important to the students for a long time," Emily, 14, said.
1223 :: BOYCIE'S KISS AND TELL
Actor John Challis, best known for playing Boycie in the TV sitcom Only Fools and Horses, has answered students' questions about memorable moments from his career.
The actor revealed his worst moment came when he was asked to do his first onscreen kiss.
Challis told Jake and Simon from Wigmore High School in the West Midlands that he would have preferred it if he'd hadn't been asked to kiss another man.
The kiss was for the TV show Green, Green Grass.
Jake and Simon both enjoyed their first experience of conducting an interview. Simon said: "I didn't really think about it (working in the media) before, but I think I might like to do it now."
1217 :: ROCK STAR WANTS END TO BULLYING
Teen rock star Lil' Chris says if he could change one thing in the world it would be to end bullying.
The singer made the revelation during an interview on the BBC School Report webcast.
He was being interviewed by pupils from four Manchester schools who are putting together their own news reports with the help of BBC staff.
Lil' Chris also revealed his biggest hero is fellow rocker and former Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins who's also from Lowestoft and went to the same school.
Watch the interview here:
Lil' Chris answers reporters' questions
1206 :: LONDON'S GANG CULTURE AND DR WHO
The recent spate of stabbings in London has prompted pupils from Elm Court Special School in London to report on gang culture in the capital.
Six pupils in Year 8 have split into three groups and will also be reporting on the amount of money allocated to the Ministry of Defence announced in the Budget.
Page 56 On a lighter note they are recording a report on news that Dr Who will be returning for a fourth series next year.
1205 :: STUDENTS MEET TONY BLAIR
Students from Tile Hill Wood, Lyng Hall and Hartshill Technology College, in Coventry, have interviewed Prime Minister Tony Blair.
They travelled to London to carry out the interview in Downing Street.
They appeared outside the prime minister's house live on BBC News 24 and described it as a "once in a lifetime experience".
Pupils 'excited' by Blair meeting
The full interview will be available here from 1400 GMT.
1202 :: COOMBESHEAD COLLEGE GOES GREEN
School reporters at Coombeshead College have been quizzing people from Sustainability Southwest who launched an eco website at their school today.
Radio, TV and internet School Reporters have been asking "Will it work?"
Andy, 13, said: "I'm a radio presenter ... ten minutes ago I was at the press conference. It was very professional with cameras and wires everywhere!"
1200 :: BREAKING NEWS FROM INDIA
After receiving an email, Villiers High School's overseas correspondent, Suraj, 12, has had to change his plans to spend the past two days gathering as much information as he can about the unrest in Calcutta.
Pupils from their link school in Calcutta were due to have a video conference into this morning's news conference, but the school in India has been closed due to a general strike and rioting in Calcutta.
Farmers in West Bengal are up in arms over being made to give up farm land to an international chemical company.
1155 :: 'NOT ALL KIDS ARE BAD ON MY ESTATE'
School Reporter Matthew has been investigating the behaviour and treatment of teenagers on the Chantry estate, Ipswich, where he lives.
It is the lead story for a news programme produced by students at Chantry High School.
Matthew, 13, said some young people on the estate have little to do, leading to behaviour such as scrawling graffiti or kicking footballs at shop windows.
But it means locals can unfairly think all teenagers behave badly.
He said: "Because I like to wear a tracksuit they think I'm like that. If I'm with my mates, people say 'don't cause any trouble.' It makes me feel like I'm not an individual."
Page 57 Students have suggested one solution to the problem of anti-social behaviour. They say the estate needs a youth club and an indoor sports centre where they can play football safely indoors.
1150 :: HANDS-ON RESEARCH FOR NI STUDENTS
Pupils at Limavady High School in Northern Ireland are getting a taste of a newsroom at the Verbal Arts Centre, where they are researching stories at a large computer hub in the Londonderry facility.
"I think it's really good," said Lauren, 12. "I like computers and I'm learning a lot."
The students are working on radio pieces and have divided their reporting into different subjects, as a real newsroom does.
Entertainment is popular - they have already researched several potential stories including the Jackson Five reforming into a band, and Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake singing a duet.
1147 :: TIME ON AIR FOR GOOD BEHAVIOUR
A so-called "failing school", which was transformed in record time, is reaping the rewards for the endeavours of staff and pupils.
Year 8 children at Duston School in Northampton have been whisked into BBC radio studios for live interviews, with experts teaching them the secrets of broadcasting while preparing for their own web broadcasts later today.
Teacher Louise Symonds says their lead story is the visit of an American delegation which pioneered the behavioural system that the school now employs.
Since Duston introduced Consistency Management and Co-operative Discipline, the number of discipline problems and exclusions has fallen significantly.
It is based on the idea of positive praise, practised by many schools around the world but by few in the UK.
Miss Symonds said a new management team was brought in by the government after it was put on "special measures", and the tag was removed again within 14 weeks - a record, according to the teacher.
1145 :: OLD BOY TEACHES NEW TRICKS
A class of 12- and 13-year-olds invited a locally renowned sculptor into their school - and discovered he used to be one of them!
When Robert Stubley turned up at Greenwood Dale school in Nottingham with his stainless steel dragon, it proved a fascinating talking point for the 25 Year 8 pupils.
But it was even more of a surprise when he revealed that he had attended the school himself 40 years earlier.
Deputy head teacher Mike Hamlin revealed: "He told them how things had changed quite a bit since his day."
Page 58 The youngsters have already conducted several live interviews, and are hoping their local MP, John Heppell, will join them later today for an in-depth political grilling.
"We shall ask him about the implications of the Budget for education and about the change in school-leaving age," said Mr Hamlin.
1136 :: STUDENTS INVESTIGATE NEW CENTRE
The building of a new enterprise centre was the subject of investigation by students at Longsands College in St Neots, Cambridgeshire.
The enterprise centre will be used for teaching business skills at the school, and is part of a long-term plan to replace all the school's buildings.
The condition of some of the buildings at Longsands has been described as "shabby."
School Reporters have filmed a video podcast about the project.
1127 :: BBC SCOTLAND'S HOMEPAGE
BBC Scotland have gone for the retro look for the prominent promotion being given to their School Report coverage, with a stylish blackboard picture stretched across the page.
There's no competition to solve the maths problem posed in the chalk, but there are links to the main School Report website, to the listen live option for Radio Scotland and to the education section.
1125 :: DOUBLE TROUBLE FOR SNP'S SALMOND
SNP leader Alex Salmond faced double trouble when he was put on the spot by identical twins Maree and Karen, 13.
Their "good cop, bad cop" interviewing technique paid dividends as the MP was given a grilling about global warming and the size of his carbon footprint.
"He would not stop talking, which was good," Inverness Royal Academy School Report news editor Maree said.
"But we would also have liked to have been able to fit more questions into our 15-minute slot."
1120 :: READING SCHOOL'S FOOTBALL FOCUS
The nice and nasty sides of football are being probed by School Reporters at Reading School.
Year 8 students reported on an increase in violence among parent spectators at children's Sunday league matches.
They also interviewed Reading FC's Ecuadorean international defender Ulises De La Cruz about why he gives 20% of his wages to charity.
Page 59 A story about how a colossal squid caught in the Antarctic last month could be defrosted in a giant microwave has also prompted school reporters to speak to catering staff about the oddest creature they've ever had to cook.
Tej, 13, added: "We've interviewed sixth formers about plans to increase the school leaving age, and we're writing about a local bus fares rise."
1118 :: ANTARCTIC SCIENTIST SEES HISTORY IN THE ICE
A scientist has returned from the South Pole to meet students at Parkside Community College, Cambridge.
Climatologist Georgina Miles talked about her work with the British Antarctic Survey, whose headquarters are in Cambridge.
Students interviewed Georgina about her studies of carbon dioxide levels in ice core samples taken from underneath the surface of the Antarctic.
One of the interviewers was Claire, 13. She said: "Georgina can tell when different things happened in the past, such as the industrial revolution, just by looking at the carbon dioxide in the ice."
The recording was to be used in a radio programme produced by Parkside students. They wanted to cover climate change and young people's opinions on it.
1115 :: SLAVE DESCENDANT REPORTS ON ABOLITION
A student reporting on the anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade is herself descended from slaves.
Lois, aged 13, from Eltham Hill Technology College for Girls in London will be reporting on the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act.
It is part of a TV bulletin which also covers the issues of climate change as it affects the school, depleted fish stocks, the rebuilding of the school, and the death of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer.
1112 :: PUPILS TAKE OVER BBC RADIO STOKE
BBC Radio Stoke is being "taken over" by pupils as part of BBC News School Report.
Children from St Thomas More Catholic College in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, are reading the news, producing pieces for programmes and taking turns as presenters on air.
They are compiling their own bulletins which are going out on the half-hour through the day.
One of the newsreaders, James, told School Report: "It's an interesting experience. The first bulletin I was really nervous. When I was practising I made a few mistakes, but I've not made any on air".
1055 :: ENGLAND'S PROSPECTS IN ISRAEL?
Pupils at London's Hackney Free and Parochial School are planning to talk to the editor of football magazine Shoot Monthly about England's prospects in the Euro 2008 qualifying match against Israel on Saturday.
Page 60 They are also interviewing Mayor Jules Pipe about the thorny issue of school places in Hackney for a webcast.
He will also be quizzed on a project to plant more trees in the borough's school grounds.
1045 :: STUDENTS TACKLE ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Pre-prepared material from schools across the UK will be broadcast throughout the day.
BBC radio reporter Andrew Bomford watched as students from Knutsford High School extracted a promise from the local council and the police to consult them in the future about play facilities on a local housing estate.
Children on the Longridge Estate have been complaining that they have nothing to do and nowhere to play, and this leads to anti-social behaviour and crime.
School Reports interviewed a senior official from the local council and the local police inspector, who both promised to engage the children in more dialogue in the future.
The children also recorded the council official, Marlyn Kerby, talking to children on the estate about making improvements to a local skateboarding park.
Their report will be broadcast on the PM programme on Radio 4 tonight.
1035 :: STUDENTS OUTSIDE DOWNING ST
Students from Coventry schools Tile Hill Wood, Lyng Hall and Hartshill Technology College are preparing to meet Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The students appeared outside Downing Street in London, live on BBC News 24.
They will meet with Mr Blair at around 1110 GMT.
1031 :: SCHOOL INVESTIGATES LOCAL SLAVERY LINKS
On the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade, School Reporters at Haggerston School in London are finding out how the local community was involved with the milestone.
Pupils are planning a trip to the Hackney Museum to find out more and interview a local expert.
Saskie, 13, said: "This morning we've been on the internet checking background information on the subject".
They also hope to interview a representative from the British Museum about the talk Nelson Mandela is giving there on Sunday.
1030 :: WATER DAY AND WASTE IN CAMDEN
Camden School for Girls are making a TV bulletin leading with International Water Day.
They have an exclusive interview with Conservative MP Anne Milton on the issue of size-zero models, the launch of Playstation 3 and the queues of people waiting to buy it.
Page 61 Amira, aged 13, is part of the team investigating rubbish collection in Camden.
She has contacted Camden Council for a comment and hopes to go out and ask people whether they support fortnightly collections.
"It's very important - it will affect the streets of London," she said.
1025 :: RECYCLING THE NEWS
Pupils from Clapton Girls Technology College in London want to demonstrate their green credentials for School Report.
They are looking at Hackney Council's scheme to recycle aluminium and buy trees to plant with the money raised in the borough.
Pupils will also be filming at their own school where 30 trees are being planted in the staff garden.
1021 :: PUPILS PROBE ASYLUM SEEKER'S CASE
School Reporters at Shawlands Academy in Glasgow are working on a breaking news story about one of their fellow pupils who is facing deportation.
A petition to help the 14-year-old Turkish girl, who does not want to be named, is circulating at the school.
Joint editors, Mark and Krishan, both 13, are deploying their investigative reporters, Jordan and Robbie, both 13.
"I have told them to ask the headmaster about why this is happening and what he thinks about it," Mark said.
1020 :: GOING GREEN IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE
A £28m plan to rebuild dilapidated Rednock School in Dursley as an eco-friendly role model is being investigated by Year 8 School Reporters.
New designs will see the school's main building feature a "green" roof seeded with plants, which will catch and filter rain water for use in the toilets, and a biomass boiler for heating.
A dozen pupils are preparing radio reports which will be broadcast today at 1400 GMT.
They have interviewed headmaster David Alexander, environment minister Parmjit Dhanda, as well as fellow students on what they think of the project.
George, 13, has also been working on a Sports section for the programme.
"We're doing stories on the new Wembley Stadium, the death of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer and the school football team, who've got through to the next stage of the national cup," he said.
1018 :: PUPILS QUIZ MP ON CRIME AND RACISM
Page 62 MP Karen Buck has been answering hard-hitting questions about crime, racism and the issue of size-zero models.
Year 8 pupils at Quintin Kynaston school in London are busy editing three TV reports for the 1400 GMT deadline. They then plan to upload them onto their website.
They interviewed the Labour MP for Regent's Park and Kensington North on Tuesday at the House of Commons.
If they have time they will also put together a report on government proposals to raise the school leaving age to 18.
1015 :: FROM SOMALIA TO SNOWY WEATHER
Pupils at Sion Manning RC Girls' School in London are preparing a broad range of radio reports, from fighting in Somalia to today's weather.
They have split into three groups and plan to cover international, local, sports news and the weather.
An issue that touches them in particular is government plans to raise the school-leaving age to 18.
1010 :: PUPILS RE-WRITE SCHOOL MENU
School Reporters at Brentside High School in London are taking their head teacher to task over his new healthy eating plan.
Head teacher Arwel Jones has been promoting salads and pasta options as part of the school's drive to make pupils healthier.
But mentor Helen Wade says the new food and drink policy doesn't seem to be going down well: "They are all clamouring for chips and I'm told children are still bringing fizzy drinks to school."
1005 :: HULL STUDENTS GATHER IDEAS
Cottingham High School students are preparing for their morning editorial meeting.
There are 24 students who have divided into groups to look at local, national and international news and sport.
Their reporting is going to be very much "on the day" so the atmosphere is buzzing as they bounce around their early ideas.
1000 :: STUDENTS TO TACKLE EDUCATION PLANS
Students at Charles Edward Brooke School in Lambeth are about to find out what their classmates think of government plans to make staying on at school to the age of 18 compulsory.
They are preparing a radio bulletin focusing on Education Secretary Alan Johnson's proposals, which are due to be unveiled at lunchtime.
Page 63 As well as their fellow pupils, the School Reporters will also be interviewing their head teacher.
0955 :: EAST YORKSHIRE SCHOOL BRAINSTORMS
The South Hunsley School hit the ground running this morning, having already been on the local radio station before most reporting was underway.
The students are now coming up with topics that interest them - one team of young reporters is covering the dangers caused by a major road works being built near the school.
Hannah, 13, said: "It's nice to be doing something different that's interesting."
0945 :: SPORTS REPORTERS HIT EARLY SNAG
Pupils at Deptford Green School in London are busy researching sports stories for a TV bulletin.
Already they have hit a snag - many of the pieces they want to cover have copyrighted pictures they cannot use.
But their mentor Andy Brown says it's a valuable lesson for his would-be journalists.
0939 :: BUDGET AND BRITNEY MAKE THE NEWS
Chancellor Gordon Brown and Britney Spears look set to feature on the BBC News School Report webcast.
Students from Trinity Church of England High School in Manchester have chosen the Chancellor's Budget and reports that the pop star is coming out of rehab for their news bulletin.
The school's entertainment reporter Jennifer told School Report the Britney Spears story was "interesting because she started her career when she was quite young".
But it's not all serious, viewers are also promised a story about what your hair colour says about you.
0915 :: US STUDENTS GET TYNESIDE SCHOOL SINGING ALONG
BBC Breakfast news reporter Sarah Campbell watched as Marden High School students led their bulletin with a report about a group of American performing arts students who were visiting the school.
The Year 8 students at the North Tyneside school were pleased with the results.
"There were lots of soloists on the stage so filming was quite difficult, but we did ok," said Jamie.
0910 :: LINCOLN STUDENTS GEAR UP
Students at the City of Lincoln Community College are setting up their equipment and having a final read-through of their scripts, in preparation for School Report day.
Page 64 There are 12 students working with the BBC Lincolnshire bus team to produce news packages on the topics of healthy eating, homelessness and activities for young people.
For the healthy eating report they will be interviewing a dinner lady and quizzing their peers about the fact that they are only allowed chips on a Friday!
0905 :: HUW EDWARD'S TOP TIPS
BBC TV News presenter Huw Edwards gives his top tips to School Reporters taking part in the day.
He reminds students to use the five W's in their reports:
These are: Who, What, When, Where and Why
0900 :: SCHOOL REPORT IS NOW LIVE!
You can watch the webcast on the School Report website on the link below:
School Report live webcast
Or by pressing the red button on your TV and selecting the news multiscreen.
0845 :: TABLE TURNED AS REPORTER QUIZZED
School Reporters at Marden High School, North Tyneside, had to interrupt their morning news meeting to be interviewed themselves - live on BBC Breakfast.
The School Report team's weather presenter Sam, 13, was one of those picked to face the BBC's camera crew.
Sam, who is now on his way to record a weather report while riding on the Shields Ferry, said he had become used to being in front of a camera.
"But it is a bit different being interviewed live on national TV."
0830 :: OLYMPIC HOPEFULS TO HIT HEADLINES
Four Olympic hopefuls at William Howard School have been interviewed by their schoolmates for a package broadcast on BBC Radio Cumbria's breakfast show.
Synchronised swimmer Vanessa, 16, rower Kayleigh, 17, cyclist Tom, 16, and badminton champion Lauren, 15, spoke about their hopes and dreams for 2012.
The package was recorded and edited by William Howard's School Reporters.
And the school's head of personal development, Ellen Mothersdale, said it had sounded "absolutely fantastic".
0800 :: ADVICE TO SCHOOLS ON MAIN STORY OF THE DAY
Page 65 You may already be aware, but there is a national news story for you to cover if you wish this morning - the unveiling of government plans to encourage young people to continue with school or training until they are 18.
More of what we know so far can be found on the link below:
But further details will come out after 1000 GMT when the proposals are due to be published.
Otherwise, just a reminder that although there are quite a lot of court stories around today we advise you stay clear of them.
Court reporting should only be done by trained reporters present during the court proceedings.
Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/school_report/6474735.stm
Published: 2007/03/22 19:29:20 GMT
© BBC MMVII
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