Press Releases Prime Minister and political party leaders to be interviewed by children for BBC School Report News Day

Category: News
Date: 11.03.2008
Printable version

10 Downing Street opens its doors to school children as Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Conservative leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg are quizzed by 11 to 14-year-olds taking part in BBC School Report News Day.

Students from different schools will question the political party leaders on matters and issues close to their hearts, as part of a BBC initiative where children make broadcast news for themselves.

The interviews with the party leaders will feature on the BBC News School Report website bbc.co.uk/schoolreport on Thursday 13 March. The website will also link to hundreds of school websites and stream special School Report Radio and TV stations for the day.

More than 250 schools, involving more than 10,000 students over the course of the year, will work to a single "broadcast" deadline of 2.00pm to publish their audio, video and text news.

BBC reporter Adam Fleming will host the online TV channel, broadcasting from a group of schools in Liverpool, while Newsround's Sonali Gudka will link to schools across the country and provide live updates on the online radio station.

Huw Edwards, BBC News presenter, is lending his support to BBC News School Report and fronts a range of material designed by the BBC to help pupils and students to get the most out of the experience.

Huw says: "Having been a teacher and run many journalism workshops in schools, I've seen how much fun it can be and how much can be learnt when there are real deadlines, real audiences and real standards to meet."

There will also be coverage of the schools' reports throughout the day on national, regional and local TV, radio and online.

Helen Shreeve, Editor of BBC News School Report, said: "We're used to seeing teenagers on the news when they're in trouble. On School Report News Day I'm looking forward to seeing this age group presented in another light when they get the chance to set the news agenda for the day."

Notes to Editors

BBC coverage on Thursday 13 March will include:

• Online coverage including an hour by hour write up throughout the day.
  
  
• School Report Radio – on-air via the web and Freeview from 8.55am to 3.30pm.
  
  
• School Report LIVE – a streamed web TV channel (also on red button) on-air 9.00am to 4.00pm.
  
  
• Coverage on 40 local radio stations and 12 regional TV programmes in England.
  
  
• Coverage on BBC Northern Ireland, BBC Scotland and BBC Wales.

The BBC News School Report website contains a wealth of resources to help teachers develop their students' journalistic skills. Last year was the pilot year when 120 schools and more than 3,000 students took part.

For more information see bbc.co.uk/schoolreport.

FS