Young Reporters Roar into Action with Visit from ‘The Day’
On Friday 16th January, we were privileged to welcome the Editor and team from The Day into school for an inspiring workshop of journalism and debate.
The visit provided a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to step into the shoes of professional reporters. The visiting editors led an engaging journalism and writing workshop, challenging pupils to think critically about how news is constructed. They explored the lifecycle of a news story, from selecting a topic and understanding different newsroom roles, to the pressure of getting the facts right.
The highlight of the session was a simulation where pupils were tasked with creating a news article from a mock press release. The scenario? "Three escaped zoo lions are on the loose in Hertfordshire, with Chorleywood schools in lockdown as a police search continues."
Pupils had to work quickly to ensure their reports were accurate, concise and interesting, key skills for any aspiring journalist. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed the insightful activity, producing some gripping (and thankfully fictional!) headlines.
This visit reinforced the work we do weekly during form time. The Day is a daily online newspaper dedicated to current affairs for pupils. We use it as a core part of our SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social, and Cultural) curriculum to spark discussion. By picking a topical article every week, pupils learn to analyse balanced arguments, broadening their minds and helping them become better informed global citizens.
The Editor of The Day spent time visiting various SMSC sessions to see our pupils in action and spoke with staff about the importance of news literacy in modern education. During these discussions, we were able to provide insight on how the resource is utilised in school and were even consulted on their new website features.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to the team from The Day for such a stimulating visit. It was a wonderful experience that has undoubtedly inspired the next generation of writers at our school.
