Shine news

This week, I’ve got an incredible story of the way in which a Shine Award provided an outstanding professional experience for two winning students and how they think about print and design.

When Charlton Cooper and Alfie walked into Heidelberg UK headquarters, they were expecting a brief introduction and perhaps a quick tour. What they got was something far more valuable: an entire day immersed in professional print production, guided by industry leaders who were genuinely invested in their learning.

Imagine getting money-can’t-buy access to a live journalism environment for your students. That’s exactly what happened for two of our winners who spent a day shadowing Liz Hunt, Senior Associate Editor at the Daily Mail.

At the Shine School Media Awards we reward the UK’s most talented secondary school students creating a school newspaper, magazine or podcast with incredible prizes. This is the story of two winners who achieved just that, with Senior Associate Editor Liz Hunt.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the Shine School Media Awards is seeing students discover their voice as writers. But how do you help them move beyond the school essay format and create journalism that truly engages?

We’re delighted that Dr Glenda Cooper, a member of the Shine committee and Associate Professor in Journalism at City St George’s, University of London, has written a comprehensive guide specifically for students entering our Writer of the Year category.

This week I want to tell you about Freddie, who won our 2025 ‘best design’ award for his school magazine, ‘The Eagle’.

His prize included a work experience day at one of the country’s leading commercial printers, Pureprint Group.

This is his story.

In a busy academic year, which extracurricular activities truly make a difference: not just now, but when students apply to FE?

School newspapers, magazines and podcasts foster innovation, teamwork and ambition. They give students a platform, a voice and skills that stand out.

Here are the opinions that count: what three teachers said about the Shine Awards…

Everyone’s talking about podcasts. At the Shine School Media Awards this year, they were our fastest growing category. There’s no question: students who master them are building a serious advantage.

Podcasting teaches invaluable skills: research, storytelling, interviewing, editing and as the projects grow, how to build audience engagement. They are unique in today’s media for their immediacy and accessibility. Best of all, they are often cost-neutral. Students can create professional-quality podcasts using just their (or a parent’s) phone and apps like Anchor or GarageBand. At our 2025 awards, most schools shared their student podcasts on Spotify.