The Jill Dando News Centre

Jill Dando News Centre

What is The Jill Dando News Centre?

April 2019 marked 20 years since the untimely death of Jill Dando. Students from schools across The Priory Learning Trust have taken inspiration from her journalistic work and created a legacy in her home town. Every week budding journalists meet at The Jill Dando News Centre to interview, write, photograph, film and edit the latest “hot off the press news”.

This page will be used to upload students work, photographs, and videos. We will also post event information to keep everyone informed. There will also be recorded messages from children in each of our News Centres.

Read and listen to our latest stories here.

Year 5 will keep you informed of the latest development s in and around school as well as the wonderful stories of the children’s achievements in and outside of school. Click the link below to read the latest edition of their newspaper.

JDNC Edition 1 November 2021

Andy Bennett from BBC Radio Somerset interviews Joshua Keyes, Year 11 at WCSA

Joshua talks about his love of Photography, Careers, The Jill Dando News Centre and TPLT as a whole. He also selected 3 songs to play within the 19 minutes he was on air.

Sports Day 2020 – Tom

The Cheeping Chicks – Elijah

Time Williams and Ed Chamberlin JD Interview

Interview with James Witt

Testimonial from Tim Williams -TV Producer & Programme Editor for ITV Racing – the BAFTA winning home of free-to-air horse racing in the UK.

The Jill Dando News Centre is an amazing opportunity for them all to get that experience at such a young age, something I would have loved at school myself. The questions were brilliant – well researched, concise and well delivered – more so than some of my answers!

I hope those with ambitions of making a career in journalism stick at it. They’d be most welcome to contact me with any further questions if they do. They’re already well ahead of the majority of people for their age and I can definitely see some future broadcasters amongst the group.

by Jill Dando News team

Students as young as 11 are helping to make hundreds of face masks for NHS GPs and care homes to use to battle Covid19, after a surge in demand.

The students aged 11 to 14 across The Priory Learning Trust schools (TPLT) in Somerset have been cutting visors and using school DT equipment to finish them off.

In a massive community partnership and show of support for the NHS, Priory Community School Academy (PCSA) Worle Community School Academy (WCSA) and The King Alfred School Academy (TKASA) have all been helping out.

PCSA Principal Angelos Markoutsas and Head of DT David Clay had made 50 last week but local GPs got in touch to ask for a big increase to cope with an expected spike in demand.

GP leaders met with Angelos this week and have been helping in the design of the face masks, which children and staff are now putting into operation.

Michelle Michael of the Grand Pier are providing materials and potential manpower as the partnership extends.

Angelos said: “We are delighted that we could involve our students who are in the school at the moment to help in this vital work. They were very excited to be part of something that was helping our community and the NHS in such difficult times.”

Neville Coles Executive Principal of TPLT said: ”This is great compassionate work by David and Angelos and all of our schools and students.

“We are especially keen to help local GPs who have actually helped with the mask design and to assist Weston HospiceCare.

“We are working closely with Michelle Michael and the Grand Pier to source materials and help in any way we can.”

Michelle Michael of the Grand Pier said: “We are delighted to be able to help with supplying raw materials to assist in the making of face guards for our front line workers.”