They swapped the classroom for the newsroom and found themselves live on air as sixth form media students stepped behind the microphone at the BBC.
Students from Kingsbridge Community College, part of Education South West, spent the day at the BBC news studios in Plymouth as part of their journalism module.
Alongside a tour of the studios, the group gained first-hand experience of live broadcasting. They appeared on BBC Radio Devon for an interview about mobile phone use with presenter Caroline Densley.
Georgia Hamm, one of the students interviewed, said: “The radio production is so much more intimate and fun than I imagined.
“It opened up a realm of opportunities that I didn’t even know existed by letting me get involved with this live broadcast.
“I got to see that the jobs are all suited to the individual, utilising their strengths.”
Students also learned about interview techniques and put their skills into practice by questioning a panel of BBC staff, including young apprentices.
They took part in interactive tasks designed to highlight the importance of fact checking sources and providing impartial reports.
Art Lawrence described the experience as eye opening.
“It was very interactive and really exciting to gain behind-the-scenes access,” Art said.
“It’s totally changed my perspective on how BBC radio and TV are made and produced and has made me realise how stimulating the job roles are.
“It gave us exposure to a fun and relaxed, yet engaging and productive work environment.”
The students will now write and publish their own original news stories as part of their course.
Wat Kirby, head of media at Kingsbridge Community College, said: “Rhetoric and reality are a far cry apart and it is wonderful to see students experiencing a busy newsroom and getting to practice the theoretical skills they have learned in class.
“Experiencing a professional environment like the BBC lets them see how the real world operates and start to think about how they might fit into that world.”
Tina Graham, principal at Kingsbridge Community College, said: “In today’s increasingly competitive world, it is crucial to futureproof students with the practical skills they need to get ahead.
“By working with key industry players like the BBC, we can not only inspire students but also give them the tools to forge a successful career.”
