TALENTED pupils from the Sir John Colfox Academy took up their pens, notepads and cameras to become journalists for the day.

The 12 Year 7s, all part of the English Talented Able Ambitious group took part in BBC News School Report day. Their challenge was to spend the day creating new reports.

They had from a plan and produce news reports, and meet the newsroom deadline of 2pm. This meant they just under six hours to plan, organise, film, interview, write and edit their news articles.

The students met, discussed what they wanted to report on, sorted themselves into teams and worked out what everyone was going to do.

They all decided to report on news that affects the school and local community.

Once the students had decided what they wanted to report on they had to decide how to report it - either video, written article or both - and who they needed to speak to. They were in complete charge of organising interviews, managing their teams and equipment.

By break time all footage was recorded and they then had the task of editing the footage in the school's media suite. For many, this was their first time in the media suite and using video editing software.

They quickly learned what they needed to and set off cutting, clipping and editing their footage. While all this was going on, other members of their teams were writing articles and the summaries.

Having, like many real journalists, to work through lunch, final checks were completed and by 2pm they were all done.

All that was left was for the articles and videos to be uploaded to the school website.

Students Eddie Rose, Zac Dixon and Finlay Staple reported on library cuts and reading.

Jess George, Lucy Best, Katie Evans and Ellie Donoghue did stories on extra-curricular activities.

Lily Rayner tackled Selfish Selfies, Holly Dupon Jones and Alice Best mental health and wellbeing, Jezebel Dilke and Maisie Little animal welfare.

Their reports can be seen on the school website colfox.org/house-system/bbc-school-report/