Monday Two children are playing chess outside the headteacher’s office when we arrive. Classical music drifts through the school as we’re shown to the tiny medical room, our home for the week; all minor injuries will have to be suspended while we turn it into a radio studio. We become minor celebrities after giving Years 5 and 6 a flavour of The Big Toe Radio Show; pupils tell us our presenter Jessie is “wicked”.
Tuesday Everyone loves the sound of their own voice, and the kids here are no exception. They enjoy getting their hands on our recording equipment, and it’s A-list celebrities all the way when they role-play at interviewing each other. Where else would you get Jennifer Lopez quizzing Beyonce? After school there’s a live link-up to Big Toe in London. Two of the kids give the presenter, Jez, a grilling with our Scouse quiz. Does he know enough about Liverpool to be allowed to visit the school later in the week?
Wednesday While I’m off with six kids at Radio Merseyside showing them round a real radio studio, my colleague Rob is frantically editing the piece about Jessie’s visit to her old school round the corner. He then starts on the one in which we take a group of Liverpool football fans to Everton’s ground. After finding out how long the grass is, they quiz former player Graeme Sharp on how much he earns.
Thursday Today’s the day of our big recording. More kids head to Radio Merseyside, where they take over the mikes in the morning show, and Radio 4‘s “Go 4 It” team get down to some serious rapping. The engineers rig up the hall and, apart from a bit of confusion with Year 2 PE, everything goes smoothly. There’s samba, football, music, rapping and the kids are great - excellent at being quiet, and even better at shouting. Somehow it’s all recorded and we head back for our broadcast the next day.
Friday It feels weird to be back behind a desk. I wonder what Year 5 are up to today? Maybe I should be a teacher again after all.
Ros Smith Ros Smith is an ex-teacher who is now a producer on The Big Toe Radio Show, which goes out live every day from 4-6pm on BBC7 (www.bbc.co.ukbigtoe).
The channel can be accessed on digital radio and TV or on the internet. Ros Smith and her colleagues recently spent a week at Kingsley community school in Liverpool. Three pupils go into the show’s studio every day. Any school wanting to be involved should email bigtoe@bbc.co.uk
