Stop Press! School newspaper makes the headlines

Congratulations to pupils from Fearns Community Sports College whose school newspaper has been named the best in the UK.

Fearns Chat, which is written and designed by pupils, also won the award for the best newspaper front page at the national Shine School Media Awards.

The 16-page newspaper has been produced by the Stacksteads school since 2009.

Pupils Nikita Baldacckino, Aaron Whitworth and Josh Sweeney, all 15, accompanied headteacher Helen Stead to the ceremony in London. They were joined by Fearns Chat editor, freelance journalist Catherine Smyth.

Mrs Stead said:

It was an honour to be able to take pupils to London again. Last year we were highly commended in the Community Initiative category.

We were announced as winners of Best Newspaper Front Cover very early on in the ceremony and we were delighted. We never in our wildest dreams thought we would win Best Newspaper because there were some excellent competitors.

The work that the pupils carry out, under the guidance and tutelage of Catherine, is amazing. They diligently interview and report on our school and the many activities, and create their paper in just one week.

Shine judge Charles Garside of the Daily Mail was particularly impressed with Fearns Chat having worked in the newspaper industry all his life.

He said:

This is a truly impressive effort by a school team that understands what news is all about.

Newspapers are produced for the readership. It ticks all the boxes – well done indeed.

As well as trophies, the school also won £1,000 and a workshop for three pupils at the Times Educational Supplement offices in London in September.