Prior to the Easter break, a number of our sixth form students were given the opportunity to visit Nottingham Trent University as part of the BBC Verify on Tour event. This gave students the chance to engage in a variety of workshops focused on the media industry.
The day included a presentation by Paul Brown, who informed students about the importance of spotting misinformation and provided practical tips on identifying altered and AI-generated images and videos. There was also a careers panel focused on working within the media industry, featuring BBC Radio Nottingham presenters, journalists, data verifiers and a BBC apprenticeship lead. This helped students explore the many pathways available within the industry and how to get their foot in the door.
Students also took part in a session on true crime journalism, where they were tasked with creating news headlines based on information from a series of live press conferences with a police representative. This allowed students to act as journalists and ask questions to develop their stories.
In addition, there was a session on short-form and long-form media, led by editors and a contestant from RuPaul’s Drag Race, where students learned how short-form content can be used alongside traditional media to boost engagement.
All students behaved exceptionally well throughout the day and engaged fully, making the most of this valuable experience.
