Schools Question Time 2004

David Dimbleby will work alongside the winning team

Fourteen schools have reached the final stage of the Schools Question Time Challenge. Each of the 14 finalists will now go on to make their proposed School Question Time event a reality, receiving professional support, such as editorial advice and help in staging their events.

A team of pupils chosen from the four winning schools will become part of the production team, working alongside David Dimbleby, producing a real Question Time programme for broadcast on BBC One in summer 2004.

The finalists Knox Academy, Haddington, Scotland Northumberland Park Community School, Tottenham, London Oxford Community School, Oxford, South East St Edward's College, Liverpool, North West Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood London Oakgrove Integrated College, Gransha Park, Northern Ireland Parkside Community College, Cambridge, South East Southlands High School, Chorley, North West Poltair Community School & Sports College, St Austell, South West Bedwas High School, Bedwas, Wales Newent Community, Newent, South West Whitby Community College, Whitby, Yorkshire and the Humber Reading School, Reading, South East The English Martyrs School, Hartlepool, North East

The challenge, which launched last November, invited schools to apply for a free education pack to help in the teaching of citizenship for secondary school pupils and as guidance in creating their own proposal detailing how they would put on a School Question Time event.

Each of the 14 finalists will now go on to make their proposed School Question Time event a reality with the help of a £500 grant. They will also receive professional support in staging their event from the Cragrats Theatre Group, as well as editorial advice from members of the BBC Question Time team.

A travelling team of judges will visit each event to select the four winning schools. Three students from each will then unite to form a production team for a BBC Question Time programme.

They will be involved in all aspects - making editorial decisions, research and production roles as well as management of the panel and studio audience.

David Dimbleby commented: "The quality of the proposals we received was extremely high and the 14 schools chosen should be proud that they stood out from the rest. I'm looking forward to seeing the events take place and working with some of the pupils in the summer."

The special edition programme will be broadcast in the regular time slot on BBC One in July 2004.

Schools Question Time Challenge is a UK-wide scheme, supported by BT in association with the Institute for Citizenship and by the BBC, to help pupils develop their citizenship and communication skills by producing local School Question Time events.