At the start of term we announced in the new School Development Plan the intention to create a number of pupil societies. On 2nd February the first society, ‘Media Society’ was launched with Ausra Holbrook as Chair and Iram Mhatay as Secretary. The Society will focus on finding out more about the TV, radio, newspaper, book publishing and film industries.
A week later, on Tuesday 10th, the Society accepted an invitation from the Head of BBC TV News to visit New Broadcasting House in Portland Place, near Oxford Circus, in Central London, and see how the 6 O’clock News Programme is made. The children also had the opportunity to tour the studios and the set of the BBC Weather Forecast.
On arrival, the children were met by News Correspondent Nick Higham, split into groups and given conducted tours of the various studios. They met programme directors and presenters as well as the teams of journalists who compile and produce the various news stories that have been selected for broadcast.
Pupils were also able to take part in a Weather Forecast shortly before the 6 O’clock News Programme and interview News Presenters for the School Magazine, ‘King’s House Chronicle’. The day ended with a visit to Dr Who’s Tardis and a meal at the nearby Langham Restaurant.
On returning to school, the Society wrote a letter to Nick Higham, thanking him for, “explaining how the news and weather forecast are broadcast.” According to the children, “we learnt a lot and really loved seeing the robot cameras running on rail-tracks around the news studio – we very much enjoyed the visit.” Further societies will be launched shortly.