Young people from John Smeaton High School have always been involved with East Leeds FM – in fact the first three voices ever heard on ELFM back in 2003 were all Year 9 girls from Smeaton. When the school was built back in the 1960s, it was a building ahead of it’s time - known as the Smeaton Project and designed by John Poulson - the (in)famous architect.

By 2007, the building itself was in a sorry state of repair - and a brand new school was being built next to the old one. As students and staff prepared for the move, Katy worked with Year 8 pupils to record their memories of the old place and their aspirations for the new school.

 

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In 2008, ELFM plans to return soon to the new school building to find out how it’s all turned out…

Carr Manor High School is one of the schools in Leeds that plays host to many young people arriving from other countries. The important thing when they arrive is to make them feel welcome

ELFM are working with Carr Manor to create a dvd resource that tells the new arrivals and their families what the school is all about. We are working with a group of young people at the school who themselves were new arrivals at Carr Manor in the last few years - who better to explain what it is like to start at a new school in a new country.

The project has been commissioned by Education Leeds and we are currently in production. We thought you might be interested in a little taster of the work…

Photos by Lizzie Coombes

 

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Today me and emma went to Brigshaw High School to help Adrian teach year 7 and year 6 kids about how to make radio and podcasts. It was very exciting because me and emma hadnt been to Brigshaw before and we got to miss school!
When we started we got asked questions by the children about things theyd like to know about us. It was so they could understand what were good questions and bad questions and how to do follow-up questions.
Then they split into groups and had to interview a teacher. I was in the studio and recorded 4 of the groups interviewing teachers and they were all really good and really interesting.
Then we had lunch it was really nice. i had egg sandwichs, some square potato things and a flapjack and a muffin it was yummy.
Then when we went back and the groups began to start planning their podcasts about another workshop going on. I started to help with a group podcasting the percussion session. we went down and recorded some drumming. Then when i got back i had to go help with another group but they were sorted so i just chilled and listen to some interviews already recorded. But then another group needed me to do recording so i went and everyone looked at me strange as i walked down the corridor because i had a big microphone :). Then we ran to chat to the percussionists because they had no time earlier to be interviewed, but then we ran out of batteries so emma (being very lazy) sent me to get more.
We were exhuasted afterwards so we sat through the evaluation and then got adrian’s sat nav to drive us home
I had a really fun time, thank you adrian for asking me to come and help!

You can see all the posts and listen to all the audio from the connecting communities day by clicking on the Brigshaw School 2008 link

At the end of a long and tiring day - a few pupils gave us their final thoughts on the connecting communities day

 

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It made me feel a bit jumpy…

 

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