Aylesbury Vale school becomes Fleet Street for the day during 'brilliant' workshop

Students at an Aylesbury Vale school experienced what it was like to be journalists for a day during a special visit.
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Cottesloe School became Fleet Street for the day, pupils brought in newspapers to inspect, while they were also given firsthand knowledge on what a day in the life of a journalist entails.

Wing Unitary Councillor Diana Blamires, who is a former national newspaper journalist, arranged the session with former and current University of Buckingham journalism students and Assistant Head Simon Wilson.

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Samantha Carmichael assisting Cottesloe School studentsSamantha Carmichael assisting Cottesloe School students
Samantha Carmichael assisting Cottesloe School students

The 30 year 7s had to source stories by looking at noticeboards, talking to staff and going on the school website.

Three editors oversaw operations, one for each team, as the class was split into three newsrooms.

Editors delegated individual roles and tasks to each member of their team.

The three front pagesThe three front pages
The three front pages

The students work to a deadline and had to write to prearranged word counts, they also wrote headlines and sourced pictures for their publications.

Three "newspapers" were then printed and prizes awarded for best scoop, best design, best teamwork, and best masthead (the name of the newspaper).

Councillor Blamires said: "I was bowled over by how many stories the children unearthed.

"One news team cleverly described how a teacher who is a champion weightlifter ‘can lift the weight of a grizzly bear’ because he's so strong.

Huelya Finnigan, Samantha Carmichael, Simon Wilson, Diana BlamiresHuelya Finnigan, Samantha Carmichael, Simon Wilson, Diana Blamires
Huelya Finnigan, Samantha Carmichael, Simon Wilson, Diana Blamires

"Others picked out great hard news stories such as the first sports day in three years due to covid.

"The quality was exceptionally high and there are definitely a number of budding young reporters.

"Move over Fleet Street, Cottesloe's the place to be."

Simon said: "It was amazing. There was such a buzz and it was such a brilliant thing to do.The feedback from students was hugely positive."

Former University of Buckingham journalism student Samantha Carmichael, who went on to be a radio presenter and who now works in public affairs and current student Huelya Finnigan led a group each with Diana leading the third newspaper squad and Simon helping all teams.

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