New TV system beamed into East Lancashire schools

2:46pm Monday 14th April 2008

Comments (2)   Have your say »

ADVICE on bullying, drugs, health and wellbeing are being beamed into East Lancashire schools through a television network.

Education bosses are introducing The Life Channel, with TV screens in foyers and classrooms broadcasting educational programming as well as films made by students and clips from school shows.

Lancashire County Council's Building Schools for the Future schools in Burnley and Pendle are some of the first in the county to use the system, which allows schools to create bespoke messaging and programming.

The Life Channel, based in Preston, launched a schools network following its success in doctors' surgeries, which has seen it broadcast to over three million patients in 1,200 practices nationwide.

After its launch in the North East by then Prime Minister Tony Blair last year, the network is now being used in over 300 primaries, secondaries and colleges, and was recently rolled out to East Lancashire.

Mike Tull is headteacher at Marsden Heights Community College, Brierfield, one of eight BSF schools created in September 2006 which were the first to get the system in East Lancashire.

The school has six Life Channel screens across its two sites in Hibson and Elland Roads.

He said: "They've been a great addition.

"We have a screen in each reception and staffroom, one in our PE department and one in our exhibition hall.

"They show programmes from the channel, but increasingly we mix it with items about school and student achievements, clips from our school production or films made by students themselves, which personalises it.

"As well as being of interest to pupils, it offers information about the school to visitors."

Contracts with the Life Channel are a matter for individual schools and are paid for out of their own budgets.

The company works with each school to create an individual package, with programmes geared to the school's needs, whether it be advice on bullying or healthy eating to tackle childhood obesity.

It is planning to develop the system so that participating schools can communicate with each other, and also link up with Connexions and other agencies for your people.

Director Paul Vitali said: "Informing and educating both students and the public to take control of their own health and wellbeing is crucial to preventing many commonplace physical and social problems, many of which can be easily avoided if the person is clear on the impact and effects certain lifestyle choices have on them, their family and the community."