Pupils are putting their pens to paper in preparation for a national reporting competition.

The Year 8 pupils, from Maltings Academy in Spinks Lane, Witham, are taking part in BBC School Report, an annual competition that challenges schoolchildren to produce and publish news reports on their website to a deadline.

They have been brushing up on their planning, interviewing and writing skills for the competition, which will take place in March.

Michael Grant, an associate teacher, said: “The students have been looking at newspapers and identifying news articles and features as well as becoming familiar with page lay-outs and practising writing their own reports.

“It’s such an interesting project for the students and something really different for them to get stuck into.

“We do have students who are keen on a career in journalism and this gives them a real taster of what life would be like in the profession.

“The experience will also benefit their literacy skills and look good on their CVs."