The Samosa Project – Sixth Form Question Time
Stepney All Saints school, proudly bring you their Question Time, filmed on Wednesday 1st December 2021
Topics – Do rules and authority restrict freedom?
(Picture – Stepney School Question Time Panel Dec 1st)
Organised, produced and recorded by students following a series of study workshops with Samosa Media www.thesamosa.co.uk
The event filmed on December 1st, followed the format of the popular BBC show Question Time. Study workshops were held over a period of eight weeks to prepare for the film, support the students, encourage debate and academic development by providing a platform where students can express themselves. Which led to the students feeling confident enough, to debate in front of a live audience. Which they have not done before.
(Picture Nov 21 – Anwar Akhtar Samosa Media Director leads a workshop with students to prepare them for the live filming)
The workshops were aimed to educate students in gaining cultural capital and understanding the importance of arts and media. Every workshop consisted of introducing students to a piece of art work, media or cultural content from film, to debates, to music to seminal political and cultural moments.
As they reviewed and discussed this content, they also gained an understanding what it takes to participate in a high pressured , skilled panel debate such as Question Time
Students discussed history, politics, journalism, religion, and identity during the workshops. They were encouraged to engage with different perspectives and views on social, political and cultural issues, consider stories and perspectives from those, that come from different cultures and communities to their own.
They also discovered the importance of art and discovered the various ways in which it can bring communities together and its importance to education. The students discussed social mobility, social inequality and practiced public speaking and oratory. Due to Covid restrictions, the student team were faced with having a smaller audience than in previous Samosa Media 6th form questions times with a socially distanced audience of 30 students and staff.
School Liaison – Mr Christoper Rothon – KS5 Pastoral Supervisor and curriculum enrichment team
Panellist and Student Production Team
Tahmina Begum – Chair, Najmin Islam – Ema Miah, Mantasira Hoque, Jesica Uddin, Ariana Hossain and Musthafa Matlib
Here are some of the feedback from Year 12 and Year 13 students of Stepney School that took part.
‘This workshop helped increased my confidence in public speaking’
‘How culture and education can intertwine to help you succeed’
‘Anwar has helped me see my potential and the importance of critical thinking and knowing both sides of the argument
‘There’s a lot more to politics and there is so many different viewpoints to explore ‘
‘I have learnt to understand other people’s point of view. How important it is to present yourself and to be neutral’
‘Learnt the reality about the wide gap between middle class and working class’
For further information please contact samosa media on info@thesamosa.org.uk and the Stepney All Saints Sixth Form sixthform@stepneyallsaints.school
The Samosa Media (www.thesamosa.co.uk ) is a UK charity, working in media, journalism and the arts to promote community cohesion and intercultural dialogue, providing spaces to explore cultural and social issues impacting our communities. Anwar Akhtar is the Founder/ Director of The Samosa Media project. Samosa media’s work includes developing educational resources to support diversity in the arts as well as heritage, history and religious studies curriculum in schools and universities, and to engage young people with these subjects.