Castle School students get taste of 'unbearable pressures of life as a journalist'

PUPILS at Castle School, Taunton, had a taste of the “near unbearable pressures of life as a journalist”, on June 16, 1993.

A report from the Gazette read: “The school newsroom was buzzing on Wednesday as international and national news was picked up on Castle’s Campus 2000 BT link as part of a schools newspaper day.

“Other news sources were local papers and radio newsflashes as would-be newshounds faced a tough deadline. And the youngsters’ language ability was also put to the test as many news items arrived in Spanish, German and French.

“A school spokesman said: ‘The project is organised to give pupils an insight into the life of a busy journalist writing articles, arranging pages to look attractive and meeting strict deadlines.”

The article was published with pictures of the “editors for the day”; Nicol West, 15, and Rebecca Dalton, 14, “at work at the newsdesk”.

Castle School’s newsroom consisted of over 30 people that day. The report read: “Helping them were 26 reporters and five members of staff.”

Today, the Gazette’s owner, Newsquest Media Group, partners with The Young Reporter scheme for those interested in getting into the profession.

The programme has been running since 2008 and has given thousands of students in school years 10, 11, 12 and 13 an opportunity to write for a real live online newspaper.

The programme runs for eight months during the school term, with various opportunities offered along the way. Students sign up for eight months, writing one article per month, which will all be published. Those doing the Duke of Edinburgh can complete the scheme as one of their skills.

At the end of the scheme students are judged on the articles they have submitted throughout the year and an awards ceremony is held for the winners. Winners receive an undergraduate day at a London University.

For more information on the scheme visit youngreporter.co.uk.