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School Radio Courses - Case Study
Earlier in 2009, through the Government's Creative Parterships initiative, we were invited to help Steyning Grammar School in West Sussex set up a school radio station. Over the course of the summer term we advised them on what equipment to purchase, trained their student volunteers to record and edit simple packages, assigned them production roles and worked with them to develop a format for their radio programme.
On the last day of term they broadcast a very ambitious, technically challenging programme to the whole school, which was judged a great success.
This term the station has gone from strength to strength, doubling in size and producing two more programmes.
In the school's end-of-project document the staff and students noted the following benefits:
Developed self-confidence
Improved literacy
Formed bonds between students of different ages
Gave students a voice
Improved time management
Forced students to take responsibility for their work
The students were quoted as saying:
"It helped us step up and be more adult-like. On radio days the work was high intensity because you worked towards something and you felt you achieved something in a day. Going back to lessons after a radio day was a bit dull."
"Being a reporter helped me get along with people better and to know people better. In the future I want to work with people so this helped. I had a place in the school."
"I learnt how to organise a team of people who were older than me. It was weird to be respected in that way. It's not an age-thing but an experience-thing."
"I learnt social skills. There's a lot of respect involved."
"Teachers showed an interest in what we were doing."
"We really challenged ourselves, it was a complex broadcast."
"We really set a high level for the new radio team to follow."
"This team is going to train the next team. The students suggested interviewing people who apply to be on the team. We need to pass on our knowledge."
