Fairfield junior school's new radio station keeps pupils and teachers connected in lockdown

Fairfield Endowed Cof E Junior School bought a new studio before lockdown as a tool to share the children’s written work, develop their speaking and enhance their listening skills.

Now the studio is being used to engage, entertain and educate children at home.

Head teacher Jayne Mercer said: “This has been such a brilliant opportunity to keep in touch. We keep in regular contact viatext, phone phone and the online learning portals, however the schoolradio has opened up a new line of communication. The children love to hear the teacher’s voices on the radio and we have had so many lovely comments from parents. I can assure you that we love hearing the children’s voices just as much as they enjoy hearing ours.”

The school’s radio station, named ‘FEJS Radio Rocks’ by the children,plays throughout the day from 9am to 3.30pm. The content includesnews, children’s stories, jokes, quizzes and music.

Neil Redman, the teacher in charge of the radio, said: “It has been amazing how the children and staff have taken this on board. The logistics have been difficult at times, purchasing licenses and being away from school, however the content which has been provided by everyone involved has been excellent.

“Our children have been carefully planning and rehearsing their work and it is obvious how into it they are as their delivery improves each time they record.

“Our brilliant staff have also been busy, in-between interactively working online with the children and covering key workers’ children in school, reading and recording stories which are played at bedtime.

“We also have a Friday evening weekly Virtual disco which has been a resounding success.”

Andy Tooze, the poet from the peaks, has also chipped in to entertain the children, reading two of his unreleased poems.

With new content being added regularly and listeners increasing daily,this is a project that will continue to bring the community together.