Highly Commended

School:
St. Aiden's CE Memorial Primary School

Name:
"STAR FM Podcasting"

Created by:
A group of pupils from St. Aiden's Primary. Amy, Anthony, Daniel, Georgia, Jorgie, Katie, Lewis and Michael. Contributions from entire school.

Packages Used:
Audacity, RadioAnywhere Online (Podcast Hosting Site)

Information:

STAR FM is an online podcasting project hosted by RadioAnywhere. Initially the school decided to use podcasting as a Gifted and Talented project, with eight of their children participating in the training day. These children decided on the name of the radio station and then launched it in a special assembly to the rest of the school (see Documents below).

After STAR FM’s initial launch both children and staff embraced the new technology and before long the whole school was contributing to the radio station. So far the radio station has been used for Speaking and Listening, Literacy, French and also for a range of extra curricular activities, e.g. the school fair, the school football team and the choir. In addition to this, the radio station gives children a real purpose for their work.

Another benefit of the radio station is that it allows the school to communicate in an innovative and more accessible way with parents, which is very important in the digital climate in which we live.  Parents are able to listen to their children’s work online, as well as listen to the school’s weekly newsletter. The radio station receives regular online feedback from parents, children and staff.

The biggest advantage of STAR FM is that children are learning valuable skills that they would not have had the opportunity to access otherwise. In recording a podcast, children write a script , record and edit the podcast using Audacity software and work with children from other key stages.  STAR FM is enabling the children in At. Aiden's school to prepare for a future where the use of ICT will be paramount.