The Rotherham Student Journalist Project gives budding young writers an insight into the dynamic and fast paced world of journalism. Now the project is gaining an added teaching and learning dimension thanks to Creative Partnerships.
Secondary and college students have been given the opportunity to learn valuable journalistic skills and experience life in a newsroom-type scenario by writing their own stories, designing their own newspaper pages with a professional news editor and seeing their work published.
The project aims to provide a ‘ student voice’ across the borough and provide opportunities for students to develop ICT, Literacy, Music, Media and entrepreneurial skills, to access appropriate vocational qualifications and progress on to higher education.
Participating students are able to gain a Key Skills Communications qualification to boost their UCAS points on applications for university courses, and schools can claim league points for the passes in education performance tables.
Barrie Morgan, Student Journalist Project Co-ordinator said: “A recognised qualification is a fantastic way for students to provide evidence of the skills they have gained through the project.”
This coming school year, Creative Partnerships Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham is supporting the exciting development of linking primary school children with secondary and college students already taking part in the journalism project. The Cub Reporters project will aim to create and develop journalist teams in local primary schools, with ‘champion journalist’ teachers. Pupils of all ages will be collaborating together and the older students will be able to guide and mentor the primary school children, in a bid to improve literacy at a young age and pave the way for successful secondary school experiences.
