This week, we were delighted to welcome BBC North East and Cumbria to JCSC for a special feature exploring young people’s views on politics and the proposal to allow 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in the next general election.
The visit was led by Molly Smith, Journalism Researcher, BBC team member, and proud former JCSC pupil. Molly reached out to the school asking if a group of students and a member of staff would be willing to take part in interviews for an upcoming programme. We were thrilled to say yes.
A Morning of Filming and Thought‑Provoking Conversation
Molly and her production team spent two hours on site, filming and speaking with a group of pupils from Years 10, 11, and 12. Students involved included: Maisie, Finlay, Emmanuel, Chloe, Micah, Noah, Libby, Megan and Isla.
They were asked a range of questions surrounding politics and youth engagement, including:
- What do you think about being able to vote at 16 or 17?
- Where do you go to find reliable information?
- Do you know any MPs, and where do you learn about them?
- How do you know the news you see is trustworthy?
Our pupils responded with maturity, honesty, and impressive insight. Molly praised the group for their engaged, confident, truthful and eloquent answers, commending them for the way they handled such complex and important topics.
Staff Perspective From Ms Kerry Payne
Assistant Headteacher Ms Kerry Payne was also interviewed, offering both her personal perspective as a parent and her professional experience working with teenagers.
She spoke about how politics and citizenship are incorporated into the JCSC curriculum, and shared her thoughts on where young people today access news and information. A short clip of Ms Payne’s interview – along with Emmanuel’s – was even broadcast on BBC Newcastle this morning.
Where to Watch
To see our pupils in action, tune in to:
- Politics North – Sunday 15th March at 10am
- Look North News – Monday 16th March
We are incredibly proud of all the students who took part and represented JCSC so brilliantly.
A huge thank you to Molly Smith and the BBC North East and Cumbria team for choosing our school. We hope to welcome them back again soon!
