A group of students from Aldworth School recently had the chance to interview Basingstoke MP Maria Miller for the news report they are submitting as part of the BBC News School Report project. The project gives students aged 11 to 16 the opportunity to make their own news reports for a real audience.

The Aldworth students have chosen to report on the new GCSE specifications which have been announced. Maria called in at the school for the interview, which the students filmed for their report.

Maria said: “I was very glad to be interviewed by the students for their BBC School News Report project. This is a great project and the students from the English department are clearly learning a lot from being involved with it.”

She added: “ As far as the changes to GCSEs are concerned, I told the students that young people in this country deserve an education system that can compete with the best in the world, and that these reforms are important to give our young people the broad, deep and balanced education which will equip them to win in the global race.”