What are our objectives?

What we will do:

• Write in a literate, accessible and lively style about news events to stimulate thought and discussion.
• Provide teachers with easy-to-use articles to link subjects to the world outside the classroom.
• Be impartial: we will give an honest overview of news.
• Offer a range of opportunities for students to see their work published.
• Engage students in reading for meaning and develop critical skills.
• Enhance cross-curricular links.
• Provide current media texts and images for analysis.
• Ask students to consider opinions and express views effectively.
• Encourage students to develop wider reading.
• Promote citizenship through understanding of global issues.
• Present ethical positions on the environment and charitable causes.
• Celebrate the talents and achievements of young people.

What you can expect:

• An ethical, clean, safe website without paid advertising.
• Impartial presentation and analysis of current news stories.
• Activities to encourage students to take an interest in the news, to develop their own reading and investigations.
• Opportunities for students to share their knowledge and opinions in the classroom.
• Quality writing from experienced journalists and teachers aware of current educational initiatives. 

How Copycatcher could be used in your school:

Registration/form period: daily activities to engage students at the start of the day.

New National Curriculum and Every Child Matters.  Copycatcher delivers many aspects of the new curriculum, and is particularly effective in meeting the cross- curricular requirements and citizenship. For instance, news coverage will often prompt discussion on moral or ethical issues in relation to politics, business, sport and the arts. Issues relating to good health and achievement  will be regularly featured.  Copycatcher promotes literacy by being an accessible reading resource for all, and numeracy in drawing the links between numbers and news.

Examination success   Media texts are used in SATs, GCSE and A Level examinations. By developing media awareness on a daily basis, Copycatcher© enables students to be confident and capable in exam situations when they encounter media texts.

English/Media Studies/Literacy  Students will have the opportunity to read an overview of a current feature with explanations of how and why the news media cover events.

Our regular feature, Two sides to every story - will show how a controversial issue can be covered from different angles. Students have the opportunity to compare approaches, develop their own views and shape them in writing. We will encourage them to email their views to us for publication in future editions thereby providing students with real purposes and audiences.

Mathematics/Numeracy

Copycatcher will show how  statistics and numerical information form an essential part of news. There will often be a maths problem to solve or a challenge asking students how they would deal with a monetary problem.

Science

Copycatcher takes scientific reports as they are published  and presents them in an accessible style relevant to young people. Students working at a higher level will have opportunities to use website links to the original studies.  We want students to see science as part of everyday life. Indeed, we want to show them how everyday life happens because of science!

Humanities

Every day begins with Today’s the Day…  which highlights key historical events. Where possible, we will draw links between past and present. In addition, we seek to promote greater understanding  of global issues and  faiths and cultures throughout the world.

Creative  and Performing Arts

Catch of the day  An analysis of a photograph shows students the importance of visual composition to conveying information.  Students will be encouraged to submit their own work for inclusion in future editions.

 A sizeable part of each day’s edition of Copycatcher© will be available from 9pm. the previous evening, allowing teachers to preview the next day’s material.

Copycatcher is written directly for young people, instantly providing quality reading material in a regular format.  By speaking directly to your students we want to empower their reading, thinking, discussion and writing. We intend to save teachers the chore of hunting down fresh, up-to-date materials.