Guardian Summer School: How to become a journalist

Have you ever dreamed of seeing your writing on the Guardian? This course can make your dream become a reality. Join us for the ultimate masterclass in journalism and you’ll create a writing portfolio to be proud of – and have the chance to get your work published on our website.

Ideal for 16-19 years olds*, this masterclass is taught by some of the Guardian’s most respected names, including columnist Stuart Heritage, Observer magazine deputy editor Emma John and feature writer Jon Henley – to name but a few! Over the course of five days, our tutors will guide you through the key skills of journalism – from coming up with ideas, to writing vibrant stories and editing your work. By the end of the course, you’ll be amazed by what you’ve achieved. You’ll have completed two great pieces of journalism – one short news piece (100-150 words) and one comment piece (500-800 words) – and have a whole host of new skills for your CV, university application or personal portfolio.

*The course is ideal for 16-19 year olds, however we may be able to accommodate students who are slightly older than this. Please email our team for advice at masterclasses@theguardian.com

Course schedule

• Day 1 – Coming up with ideas and pitching them to editors
• Day 2 – Developing your ideas and starting to write
• Day 3 – Finding your voice as a writer
• Day 4 – Editing your work and finishing your two stories
• Day 5 – The future of digital journalism / Showcase exhibition at Guardian HQ

PLEASE NOTE: Students are encouraged to use Wednesday evening to continue work on their two stories at home. It is advised that you spend at least 90 minutes finalising your first drafts on Wednesday evening, so that you’re fully prepared for Thursday’s session on editing and finalising your work.

Showcase event

• In addition to featuring your writing on our website, we’ll print it in the format of a Guardian article and install it in a temporary exhibition at our offices in London. On the final day of the course, you’ll have the opportunity to invite your family and friends along to a special showcase event.
• Parents, guardians and family friends are welcome to join us at the Guardian offices in King’s Cross from 2.30pm-4pm on Friday 28 August. Please RSVP to masterclasses@theguardian.com by Monday 17 August if you would like to attend. We’ll be joined by some very special guests, including top Guardian journalists and editors!

Tutor profiles

Stuart Heritage is a Guardian columnist and freelance writer who mainly covers film, TV and music. In addition, he co-runs www.luvandhat.com and has written for NME, Radio Times, Cosmopolitan and Vice.

Emma John is deputy editor of the Observer Magazine and a former deputy editor of Observer Sport Monthly. She writes features, interviews and comment across the paper, and was the first woman to win a Sports Journalism Award.

Becky Gardiner joined the Guardian in 1998 as Women’s editor. She was Comment editor from 2010 until April 2014, and has held a number of other positions including Education editor, deputy editor of G2 and launch editor of Family. Becky is now a senior lecturer, teaching journalism at Goldsmiths University in London.

Jon Henley is a senior Guardian feature writer responsible the acclaimed series Greece on the Breadline and the multi-award-winning multimedia interactive Firestorm. Over a 20-year career at the Guardian, Jon has reported from more than 30 countries and all five continents, including a ten-year stint as the paper’s chief Paris correspondent. Read Jon’s Guardian articles here.

Will Storr is an award-winning journalist, novelist and photographer. His stories appear in broadsheet newspaper supplements such as the Observer magazine, The Sunday Times Magazine and Guardian Weekend. He is also a contributing editor at Esquire magazine and GQ Australia. Find out more about Will on his website.

Patrick Barkham is a natural history writer for the Guardian. He is also the author of the critically-acclaimed book Badgerlands, which was shortlisted for the Ondaatje Prize and the Wainwright Prize, and won the best non-fiction prize at the East Anglian Book Awards. Read Patrick’s Guardian articles here.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website