Exploring the world of newspaper writing with First News
At Bookmark, we want to show children the range of doors that a strong foundation in literacy can open. Our range of events for our partner schools offer children meaningful insights into where literacy can take them – and how they can use storytelling in many different ways. Our Mind the Gap campaign, in line with the National Year of Reading 2026, is focused on raising awareness of where literacy can take a child – and we’re grateful to our collaborators who help us make this happen.
Recently, we were delighted to welcome 45 classes from our partner schools to a special virtual assembly exploring the world of newspaper writing – delivered in collaboration with First News.
This live online session was an exclusive benefit for our partner schools, giving children a unique opportunity to step inside a newsroom and discover how newspapers are created, from the headline to the final product.
First News is the UK’s original news brand for children. Since 2006, their weekly newspaper, digital app and teaching resources have helped millions of young people understand what’s happening in the world around them. It gives children an engaging, impartial and age-appropriate way to explore real-world topics.
Bringing journalism to life
First News’ Chris Towers, Senior Reporter, and Hannah Timson, Editorial Manager, offered pupils a fascinating and accessible introduction to the world of newspaper writing. Together, they broke down what makes a great newspaper, including:
- Why newspapers exist
- Crafting clear and engaging headlines
- Tailoring your writing for your audience
- The importance of fact-checking
Children were even given an insight into the special language of the newsroom. They learnt terms like ‘byline’ and ‘flatplan’, helping them all to feel like a journalist!
The session sparked huge curiosity – with over 40 thoughtful questions asked by children during the live Q&A! From how writers gather their facts to how to start out as a journalist, children were eager to learn more and confidently shared their ideas. Chris and Hannah shared the range of pieces they’ve written– from the war in Ukraine, to cheese rolling and Taylor Swift.
“The First News guide to newspaper writing session was brilliant and we are so pleased that so many of our partner schools got to experience it live! It gave our classes a real insight into how a newspaper is created – from writing engaging headlines to fact-checking and layout design. I loved how Chris and Hannah broke down the process in such an accessible way for young people, and their passion for journalism really shone through. It was inspiring to hear about the variety of roles in a newsroom and how children can get involved no matter what their interests are.
The children came up with some very interesting questions for First News and Hannah and Chris did a fantastic job of showing that anyone can be a journalist if they’re curious and passionate!”
“Thank you – a really good webinar and look forward to [using] in future lessons.”
Why this matters
We believe that strong reading skills open doors – helping children to build confidence, curiosity and a deeper understanding of the world around them. Events like this bring literacy to life, showing children that reading isn’t just a school skill, but a tool for expression, creativity and critical thinking.
It was especially powerful to hear Chris and Hannah highlight the wide range of roles within a newsroom, helping children see that there’s lots of different ways to get involved in the industry – and that curiosity and passion are what really matter.
Working together with First News
We’ve been proud to work with First News for over a year, building a partnership rooted in our shared commitment to children’s literacy. First News:
- Provide newspapers for schools on our Literacy Partner Programme
- Support schools taking part in our Fact-Finding Club
- Deliver webinars for our partner schools and volunteers
- Provide resources for our One-to-one Reading Programme
This virtual assembly was another brilliant example of how collaboration can create meaningful, inspiring experiences for children.
Together, we can help more children discover their voice, build confidence and realise that they too can be storytellers.
Help close the literacy gap
The National Year of Reading 2026 is our moment to change the story for thousands of children falling behind. Become a reading volunteer and help a child build confidence, discover the joy of reading and close the gap before it widens.
We’d like to thank First News for hosting this virtual assembly. You can find out more about their work with schools here.
