During my work experience at Picture News, I was able to see what goes on behind the scenes in a company that creates educational resources for schools. From the moment I arrived and met the team in the office, I felt very welcome. Everyone was friendly, and after a tour of the office, I was given information about health and safety and fire safety, which helped me settle in and understand the workplace.One of the first things I did was attend an admin meeting. I found this especially interesting because I had used Picture News in primary school, so it was exciting to see the other side of the resources and learn how much planning goes into them. After that, I looked at the Early Years resource, which I really enjoyed because I had not realised that Picture News also created materials for younger children. I liked how the resource linked to extra activities that children could do to continue their learning beyond an assembly, and I was even able to help come up with some ideas for these activities.The next day, I helped to proofread packs that were being posted on Friday, which were about Eid al-Adha. I also researched possible news stories for the mini newspaper, which is aimed at primary schools and comes with the Primary resource pack. Once I had found suitable stories, I wrote the KS2 section of the mini newspaper, and this was one of the parts I enjoyed most!Another part of the placement that stood out to me was learning about the wide range of resources that Picture News produces. I learned about the Collective Worship resource, which is adapted from the Primary resource with Bible quotes and hymns added, and I also looked at the Secondary resource, which includes more questions to encourage deeper discussion. Later, I learned more about the Primary resource itself, as well as Picture News Global, which is a newer version, adapted for use around the world. Before this placement, I wasn’t aware that Picture News sent its resources internationally, so I found that very impressive.I also had the chance to see many different parts of the company in action. On Wednesday, I attended a social media meeting, where the team discussed how to advertise the company to teachers, who would benefit from using the resources. I found this really interesting, especially when I helped to find facts to promote the Eid pack. After that, I helped with printing and packing the resources. I also watched Picture News Virtual being recorded, which was fascinating because it was one of the main resources I had used in primary school. In addition, I observed a webinar about spirituality in Church of England and Catholic schools, which was particularly interesting to me because I attended a Church of England primary school.On Thursday, I watched the live assembly on sun safety, where Picture News had teamed up with a charity that helps students stay safe in the sun by working with dermatologists. One of the most meaningful parts of the week was seeing how much thought goes into making resources accessible and useful for different audiences. I looked at the Symbols resources, where sentences are simplified and supported with symbols to make them easier to read for children with learning difficulties. I thought this was a great way to make the resources more inclusive, and I was also interested in the software that automatically adds the symbols as you type. I also attended the education team meeting, where plans for the coming weeks were discussed, including with team members who work from home, and I helped write the academic calendar for 2026/2027, which includes important and interesting dates for Picture News and its subscribing schools.Overall, my work experience at Picture News was very enjoyable. It helped me understand how much work goes into creating their content, and it was especially rewarding to contribute to a company whose resources I had once used myself.
