Schools Questions & Answers aims to help schools improve students' speaking and listening skills and to engage young people in society and politics.
2011-12 winners
Each winner will host a BBC programme from their school - either a Radio 4 broadcast of Any Questions? or a BBC Schools Q&A webcast.
Congratulations to this year's winning schools:
- Havering College of Further and Higher Education, Hornchurch, Essex
- Barton Peveril Sixth Form College, Eastleigh, Hampshire
- Cardinal Heenan High School, Leeds
- Belfast Methodist College, Belfast
- Rugby High School, Rugby, Warwickshire
- Uckfield Community Technology College, Uckfield, East Sussex
This year's runners-up, from nine schools across the UK, have also been announced. They will be invited to the Houses of Parliament for a day of activities including a tour of the Palace of Westminster and the chance to meet parliamentarians.
The names of the runners-up are available on the Schools Questions & Answers website.
How the competition works
Every secondary school in the UK is eligible to take part in Schools Questions & Answers and make use of a set of free teaching resources designed to support the citizenship curriculum.
The challenge has four phases:
- Phase one - launch
Students are challenged to record a five minute radio or television debate on a topic of their choice. Free teacher training workshops are available to help you - see below.
- Phase two - enter
Schools should submit their recorded debates by 4 December 2011. Winners and finalists will be announced on 23 January 2012.
- Phase three - winners
All winners will receive workshops on political literacy and communication in their school, run by Parliament's Education Service, between February and May 2012. Three winning schools will also help to produce broadcasts of 'Any Questions?' live from their school, while three others will work on live BBC webcasts. The recordings will take place between March and July 2012.
- Phase four - finalists
The nine schools chosen as finalists will be invited to the Houses of Parliament for a winners' day, where they will tour the historic Palace of Westminster and meet parliamentarians.
Visit the official Schools Questions & Answers website for full details on how to enter.
Training events
Free training sessions are available around the UK to help you support your students in the competition. Training includes information about how the UK Parliament and devolved legislatures work, and tips on how schools can get involved in the Schools Questions & Answers. Details of future training events will be published here when they are available.
Free citizenship resources
Schools Questions & Answers has produced resources to support the citizenship curriculum, including toolkits on Politics and Parliament, Voting and Referendums, and Communication Skills. You’ll also find resources on how to run a debate or event in your school or community.
Schools Questions & Answers is supported by the Institute for Citizenship, the BBC and Parliament’s Education Service.
Schools Question Time 2010-11
In 2010 - 11, the competition was called the Schools Question Time Challenge and the winners worked with David Dimbleby to help produce an edition of BBC Question Time, broadcast on 7 July 2011. They assisted with audience management, helping the panellists and creating a highlights film.
The winning schools were:
- The Belvedere Academy, Liverpool
- St. Ninians High School, Isle of Man
- Whitley Bay High School
- Worksop College
Congratulations to all of them.
Find out more
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