2024 marks 10 years since Wickersley School and Sports College academised and the inception of Wickersley Partnership Trust. To mark the occasion, WPT is putting on a range of events and activities to celebrate the milestone.
One of these activities was the WPT School Report project. The aim of the project was to give students from across our 13 schools the opportunity to use their voice on the topical subjects that matter the most to them.
On the 5th June, Y5 and Y6 students from Aston Hall Junior and Infant School joined forces with Y7 and Y8 students from Wickersley School and Sports College to debate different ideas with their peers, and pick what they were most passionate about to create their own news items.
The students were given a range of mediums to utilise to present their final pieces: a newsletter/news article, a video news item or a podcast-style audio. The students were also given the opportunity to interview staff members from across the Trust to add different views and more impact to their stories.
The students chose to discuss a variety of current news items, including social media and internet use; mental health in children and young people; the Covid inquiry and its impact on education; school dinners; and girls in sport to name a few.
Students dissected and discussed the topics and their opinions on what’s happening in the world around them, how it relates to their school life, and what their schools and the Trust are doing to help them. Students also gave their views on what they would like to see in the future from the Trust, their schools and for the UK as a whole.
The WPT School Report aimed to help the students to develop a range of skills, including networking, by working with new peers and a range of staff, including teachers and the Trust’s Media Team. Their communication skills were also challenged and enhanced by deciding on the format of their pieces (the different topics and mediums required different tones of voice), and putting together their scripts and news articles for each team.
The students who chose video and podcast to share their voice, were invited back to WPT’s Head Offices on the 19th June, and given the chance to edit their pieces. Each student was shown how to edit their piece using industry-standard software, and had the platform to express their opinions on the final cut.
All the students said they had really enjoyed taking part in the WPT School Report and the chance to experience something different, including the hands-on elements of filming, recording and editing.
Mr S Holmes, Headteacher at Aston Hall Junior and Infant School, said: “It was great for our Y5 and Y6 children to be able to engage in a wonderful project with children from another secondary school within our Trust. Watching the children take on different leadership roles and work collaboratively across phases was a great experience and development opportunity for the children. They thoroughly enjoyed discussing and debating topics that they were passionate about, but were mature and methodical in their approach to gather the information needed. For our children, visiting a secondary site and then our Trust HQ for the editing process with our media team, gave them a wonderful insight into how these projects are produced and broadened their horizons in terms of interests and opportunities going forward.”
Scott Gunn, WPT Senior Marketing and Communications Manager, said: “The WPT School Report has been a fantastic experience for all involved. Not only has it celebrated WPT turning 10, it has also given students from each of our schools the opportunity to discuss, research and report on some key topics and subjects that are important to us all. The students and staff involved were brilliant role models for their schools.”
Click the button below to view all of our students’ fantastic work!
