Teach Secondary - Issue 14.6

At Belle Vue Girls’ Academy, part of Bradford DiocesanAcademies Trust (BDAT), we’ve always believed in the power of student voice. Following the pandemic, however, we saw just howmuch the experience had impacted our students’ confidence and sense of connection. We wanted to rebuild this by creating something lasting, which would give our young people a platformand amplify the voices of the next generation. So to achieve this, we turned to radio broadcasting. Our Trust works closely on regional summits with Bradford Citizens – a local organisation that brings together young voices fromdifferent schools and Trusts acrossWest Yorkshire, to debate some of the most pressing issues in our region and advocate for change. Inspired by our students’ passionate discussions, we reached out to our local community radio station, BCBRadio, to see if they would like to speak to students about their experiences as young social activists. After a successful one-off broadcast featuring student reflections on a recent pandemic recovery summit –where students had shared their thoughts on issues ranging fromwellbeing to inequality – it became clear that there was potential and enthusiasm for more.We saw it as a unique opportunity to formalise a partnership with BCBRadio, and launched a long-term, student-led radio project.We suggested the idea to the station and they loved it! We invited students fromacross our Trust to take on roles such as presenter, interviewer or editor, depending on which aspect interested them the most. BCBRadio have provided training, along with access to professional studio equipment and recording booths, giving our students invaluable hands-on experience. From scripting and editing, to choosing music and themes, students continue to shape each programme themselves, sharing their thoughts on topics that matter to them, such as inclusion, sustainability and anti-racism. This not only helps to deepen their understanding of important issues, but also empowers them to shape conversations through the power of hearing their own voices, as experts. In the second year of the programme, we linked the project to our Trust-wide ICARE values – Inclusion, Compassion, Aspiration, Resilience and Excellence – to alignmore closely with our wider student voice programme.We have also welcomed the school’sWellbeing Ambassadors and Student Parliament members to share their experiences on air, as role models for our community. Throughout the project we’ve seen transformative benefits for our students. Quieter students have become confident communicators who can now build relationships with their peers with ease. Others have discovered interests inmedia, journalismor activism. For many, it’s been their first real experience of work, thus building crucial employability skills such as time management, teamwork and decision- making. One student, Fasanya, has described it as a space “ To express myself freely. Radio shows have proven to be amediumwhere I can get my voice across as a young person, and I’ve felt really empowered. ” For any school eager to hear their students’ voices on the radio, we’d recommend starting an initial discussion with a radio station in your local area, and maybe offering a short interview, a themed discussion or an exciting project proposal. It’s also essential to think about the small things that will create a respectful and calm space in which students’ expression and confidence can be encouraged. Most importantly, let students lead. Their voices are powerful – and when we make space for them to be heard, amazing things happen. WHAT WE DO BROADCASTING STUDENT VOICE Needto know The House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee has issued a stark warning that echoes what many teachers have been saying for some time – that unless standards of media literacy improve, “Social cohesion is at risk and democracy itself is threatened” . So begins the Committee’s latest ‘Media Literacy’ report, which calls for a new and more effective form of media literacy education to be embedded across the National Curriculum from Early Years onwards. This would replace what the Committee describes as the more ad-hoc media literacy teaching offered currently – centred on occasional assemblies and optional subjects, and dependent on access to resources and knowledgeable staff – and be accompanied by updated CPD and ITT offers. Other recommendations put forward in the report include introducing a new ‘media literacy levy’ on tech companies; appointing a new ministerial position to oversee a nationwide media literacy programme; and launching a media literacy awareness campaign aimed at adult members of the public. The full ‘Media Literacy’ report can be downloaded via tinyurl.com/ts146-LL3 2.97% of A Levels taken in 2024 were for MFL, classical subjects, Welsh (second language) and Irish Source: ‘The Languages Crisis:Arresting decline’ report producedbyTheHigher EducationPolicy Institute JONATHAN KENNEDY IS STUDENT VOICE CO-ORDINATOR AT BRADFORD DIOCESAN ACADEMIES TRUST; FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT BDAT-ACADEMIES.ORG 88 teachwire.net/secondary