STUDENTS at Ormiston Park Academy, had an exciting visit this week from some experts at the BBC, who taught them about storytelling.

The event was hosted by popular BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ, Nick Bright, who was accompanied by two staff members.

The school in South Ockendon and the BBC ran a series of sessions for students, which included discussion and video content around how best to tell a story, how to communicate content in an interactive way and understanding the power of a narrative. The representatives each shared their own compelling tales with the students and taught them how to frame information in a way that captivates their audience.

Mr Bright said it was a pleasure to meet the staff and students.

Students at the academy, with support from their teachers, had written, directed and produced five short films, with each film looking at a powerful story from an individual.

They explored a range of topics, from racism to gender and immigration.

During the sessions, students had the chance to share their videos with their classmates and receive feedback from the experts.

Overall, it was a really positive experience that piqued a lot of interest among students in a potential future career in journalism.

Ormiston Park Academy is planning to integrate the skills students have learnt into their wider curriculum and continue to encourage them to express themselves through a range of mediums.

Principal at Ormiston Park Academy Mark Roessler said: “This has been a really great experience for our students, not only in helping them to improve their storytelling abilities, but also their creativity and confidence.

“I was incredibly impressed by the thoughtful and interesting short films that were put together, and I’m sure there are more to come after such an inspiring session. “At Ormiston Park Academy, the experiences that take place beyond the curriculum are just as important as those that take place within it, and opportunities like this are central to broadening students’ horizons and creating a well-rounded education.”