This is where members of the Burnet News Club publish and discuss their views on current affairs. Explore it to see what 8 to 14-year-olds from across the UK think about the most important topical issues, and to see an open exchange of ideas between schools in different communities.
The Burnet News Club is a network of state school news clubs which develops young people’s critical thinking and literacy skills through open discussions about current affairs.
Teachers receive all they need to run a Burnet News Club in their school. Everything is included, from detailed session guides to engaging interactive news content.
Teachers run a club session weekly for at least one school year. The sessions are designed to develop the BNC skills and spark cognitively challenging conversations.
Between sessions, students independently use this website to take part in discussions that span a wide range of different communities, perspectives and experiences.
Students receive recognition and feedback from peers, trained teachers, and subject experts throughout the year.
There are five Burnet News Club skills which are embedded across all content and activities. Not only are they hugely valuable in school, university and employment, they’re also essential for forming an accurate picture of the world in the face of misinformation, opinion bubbles and polarised debates in the media.
Quite simply, the club has been a revelation. Every week, new and interesting resources are produced and available, all of which go hand-in-hand with relevant and appropriate termly topics. These resources are accessible to all types of learners; they are bespoke, carefully-thought out and allow students to improve across a number of key skills.
The Burnet News Club is open to all UK non-selective state schools. Membership lasts for a full academic year and places are now open for September.
Not a UK state school? See what else we have to offer here.
We offer benefits to MATs such as bespoke teacher training and events to bring teachers from different schools together. Burnet News Club creates meaningful connections between schools, and we can implement it in a way that supports your strategies and priorities. If you are interested to hear more, get in touch.
The Burnet News Club exists because of the community of young people, teachers and supporters who make it happen. If you would like to support the programme by donating funding or expertise then we would love to hear from you.
The Burnet News Club is run by The Economist Educational Foundation, an independent charity set up by The Economist newspaper.
We enable inspiring discussions about the news in, and between, schools. Discussions that invite young people to be curious about the world’s biggest ideas and challenges, and consider what should be done about them.