21 Mar 2025
The editor and founder of the St Albans Times, Matt Adams, has praised the work of pupils at Redbourn Primary School who are producing their own newspaper.
The Red Kite launched just before Christmas with two issues published so far. It is run by a group of Year 6 pupils alongside teacher Kajal Mamtora and reports on events at school and in the wider community.
Kajal said: “It has been positively received by both parents and the children themselves who look forward to purchasing a copy every half-term.
“It’s been a great way to encourage both writing and reading for pleasure across the school. We encourage children to approach us if they would like to be a guest journalist on the next edition.”
Past contributors have included Devon from Year 3, who wrote a piece about wanting to be a food critic (pictured). Her proud granddad Robert subsequently contacted the St Albans Times to highlight the initiative.
Matt visited the school on Monday to talk to pupils in assembly about his 30-year career as a journalist, why local news is important and how he came to establish the St Albans Times.
He then spent some time with the Red Kite news team discussing their plans for the title going forwards.
Matt said afterwards: “I was impressed by the obvious enthusiasm shown by the school’s reporters, and the professional nature of the Red Kite.
“Inspiring the journalists of the future is one of the key remits of the St Albans Times, so I was delighted to come along to meet with pupils and talk about my time in regional media.
“Hopefully the success of the Red Kite will inspire other schools to follow suit and set up their own titles.”
