IN the cut-throat world of journalism, there will always be fresh-faced and keen new people snapping at your heels before long.

This lesson was brought home to me on a visit to Settrington Church of England Primary School, where a keen editorial team - otherwise known as the newspaper club - has launched its own publication.

The dedicated group of seven pupils are full of ideas and keen to produce a bright and interesting read for the rest of the school.

And they certainly are an inquisitive bunch. Normally, I'm the one asking the questions, but before I'd breathed a word about the Gazette & Herald they had me up at the interactive whiteboard, writing out all of their names in shorthand!

Two of these roving reporters then interviewed me, grilling me about my experience and aptitude for the job of Gazette & Herald journalist. I wasn't too sure if they were impressed with my answers, until they asked me if I'd ever met anyone famous in my work, and Prince Andrew seemed to be a worthy answer.

My interview is just the latest in a long line of stories they've compiled for their first offering, including interviews with staff, pupils and others connected with the school and reports of visits, events, and changes to the school building.

The one thing they have yet to decide on is a name for the paper, and they're running a school-wide competition to find one.

Toby Hawes, 11, said: "I have written an article about the school cook, who has been cooking here for quite a long time, so I just wanted to know a little bit about her career."

He added: "I think the newspaper is a good way to let other people in the school know what's been happening. So if, say, the juniors went somewhere and the infants didn't go, we can let the infants know what happened and where we went."

Marianne Ellis, also 11, said: "I've been writing an article about one of the teachers in the school, Mrs Hind, and the headline is Inside Information. Teachers are really just teachers and tell us what to do in class and we don't really know a lot about them. So I wanted to find out about her actual life everyday and try and discover some secrets!"

She added: "I got a bit nervous because that was the first story I was doing. It was quite long. I took some notes and that helped me remember what she said. It's good fun and it helps with your writing."

Toby has also been working on a story called Silly SATs, because he is doing SAT exams and was interested in what other pupils thought about doing them.

Meanwhile, Oliver Liversedge is working on a comic strip for the paper called Futurama, Lawryn Stone has written up an interview with headteacher Catherine Hanch and James Ellis has written about the school's new extension.

Jacob Stephenson said: "I have written about going to London for my dad's birthday. For those who find it difficult to write, the newspaper club is always there for them."

Aaron Liversedge added: "Newspapers tell us about heroes and people who do good things, they tell you about all sorts of things."

Key stage two teacher Glenda Pearce runs the newspaper club, which was started on the suggestion of the school council. "We meet on a Monday for half an hour and we work hard in that time," she said.

"It's a mixed age range and it's not just the best writers who are involved, and that's great because you get different perspectives and the older ones help the younger ones. They are really enjoying it, especially the interviews. To say it is run as an after school club when they've already had a full day at school, they work incredibly hard."