Pupils help produce Question Time

John Beale (L) and Luke Nerdin are from one of four winning schools

Two pupils from a Hampshire school will help produce the BBC's Question Time programme on Thursday.

John Beale and Luke Nerdin from Ringwood School will have their programme recorded at Westminster Hall in London and transmitted on BBC1.

Ringwood is one of four schools across the country to be invited to produce the youth edition of the programme, which is presented by David Dimbleby.

The duo have spent the last few weeks narrowing down the list of guests.

"I know a lot of the girls in our team wanted David Tennant, but I'm not sure that was for his debating skills," said Luke.

"When you watch it I think it's going to be completely different to the normal Question Time, it's made by students for students."

Hundreds of schools competed to send their pupils to be part of the production team.

Ringwood School pupils have now been chosen three years running.

"It's quite clear that listening to what they say they have a whole host of strong views about a range of subjects," said head teacher Chris Lockyer.

Winning schools

"Question Time is just one example of how we can tap into that."

The schools won their place in the show by applying for a citizenship education pack, from which they had to write a proposal showing how they would stage the programme.

The other winning schools are Gwernyfed High School, Powys, in Wales; Holyhead School, in Handsworth, Birmingham; The Tiffin Girls' School, Kingston-Upon-Thames, London.

Thursday's panel includes the Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander, former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith and Liberal Democrat spokesman on communities and local government Julia Goldsworthy.

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