Introduction
There are many different ways in which you can approach setting up and running a school radio station. These range from very simple pre-recorded shows being played back to pupils in the dinner hall, for example, or from your school website (podcasting,) to highly sophisticated professional level systems streaming shows across your school local area network. With some systems you could even potentially broadcast across FM with a Restricted Service Licence. Whatever solution you choose, running a school radio station has many benefits, for example:
- An engaging and exciting extra-curricular activity for learners.
- A way of communicating across the school with staff and pupils.
- An opportunity to develop scheduling and organisational skills.
- Develop Speaking and listening skills.
- Writing and presenting for an audience.
- Reinforce what has been learned in the classroom by making radio shows about topics covered.
- Share good work, original music compositions etc.
This page provides an outline of some of the possibilities with links to further information for each. Please make sure you read the very important information about copyright and licensing, and make sure you contact the relevant agencies before you get started with your radio station.
Pre-recording
With just a computer, a computer microphone and some audio recording/editing software you can record radio-style shows that can include speech, music and sound effects. The results can be played back in assembly, during lunch, in lessons etc. If you put the results onto the internet or Learning Platform it is usually known as podcasting.
The programs used most often for recording and editing sound in schools are Audacity, Podium and Garageband (Mac.)
 Audacity
This is free open source software. You can record and edit multi-track recordings, import sounds from other sources (e.g. sound effects) and export the whole thing to MP3.
More information:
Podium
This is a program designed for schools to make podcasts. You can script, record and edit your productions and even publish them to the internet as podcasts.
More information:
Garageband
This is Mac software that comes as part of the iLife software suite. You can record and edit multi-track productions and create your own music with it.
More information:
Once you have recorded and edited your radio shows you can burn them to CD or play them back directly from the computer if this can be connected to an amplification system. Pre-recorded shows can also be put onto the school network and played back on demand from computers in different areas of the school.
A basic ‘live’ set up
If you want children to be able to do live shows, perhaps during lunch breaks, you will need:
- Some sort of amplification system with speakers.
- A basic mixer that outputs to this amplification system (or one that includes an amplifier, so you don’t need a separate one.)
- A microphone that connects to this mixer
- A means of playing back music through this mixer, eg a CD player, computer or MP3 player (check that the connections from these are compatible with the mixer.)
With this equipment you can speak through the microphone, and then fade in/out music or pre-recorded elements.
A more advanced ‘live’ set up
The simple system described above can be developed with the addition of more speakers positioned around the school, in corridors for example. Additional input sources can be added to the mixer, so that, for example, you could play back music from one source and pre-recorded spoken material from another.
Shows can also be streamed across your school local area network (LAN) and played back on computers in different areas of the school. To do this you will need a streaming server with streaming software installed, and a level of expertise in this area.
'Professional' level school radio stations
There are now a number of high-level radio station packages available.  These usually include all the equipment you need incorporated together into a special trolley or desk.
The equipment may include:
- An integrated PC with audio recording software and radio station management software installed
- A touch-screen monitor
- A digital mixing desk
- An amplifier
- Microphones and speakers
- Illuminated ‘Mic Live’ sign
The software installed onto the computer allows the user (DJ) to queue up different elements of the radio show, and add live speech to this queue. By simply tapping the touch screen or using the mouse the user can trigger a pre-recorded jingle, a song or, for example, a radio-play recorded by a different group of students. Entire shows can be pre-recorded and played back through the system, and even set to repeat itself. Shows can be listened to via speakers or streamed through the local network. These systems also sometimes enable the addition of an FM transmitter. This would allow you to broadcast to FM radios within a limited radius around the school, usually 3 – 7 km, for a fixed limited period, usually 1 – 28 days. An RSL Licence is required to do this as well as the licences necessary to play music in this way (see below.) Your radio station provider will be able to advise you further on this.
Examples of providers of this type of solution are:
IMPORTANT: Copyright & Licencing
Depending on what you plan to do and how you want to ‘broadcast’ your shows, you will need different licences to allow you to do this legally. The majority of schools in Hertfordshire (but not all) already hold the school PPL (Public Performance Licence) and PRS for Music Licence (Performing Rights Society.) These allow schools to play music from its source (eg a CD) but not broadcast it in different ways, copy it to computer and suchlike. Therefore the following licences may need to be arranged, depending on your needs. Terms and conditions and limitations of use will apply to all of these.
Limited Online Exploitation Licence (from the PRS)
This licence allows you to reproduce and store music and deliver music to members of the public whether by means of streaming, downloading or podcasting. If you want to stream your radio shows across your local area network you will probably need this licence.
Small Webcaster Licence (from PPL)
If you want to stream your radio shows across your local area network you will probably also need this licence, which covers the royalties of the artists whose music you are playing.
PPL Student Radio Licence
If you want to broadcast your radio station to hard-wired speakers around the school, or across AM/FM frequencies, you will need a PPL Student Radio Licence. This also covers you to copy CDs to a computer for the purposes of the radio station only.
Produb Licence
Depending on which other licences you hold, which may cover you for this, if you want to copy CDs to a computer to build a database of music for your shows, you may need a Produb licence from the PRS.
To be sure which licences you need, please contact both the PRS and PPL to discuss your plans with them before you get started:
PPL
Natalie Thomas
Tel: 0207 534 1423
Email:
natalie.thomas@ppluk.co.uk
PRS
Tel:
0207 306 4991
Sound Resources
If you want to run a school radio station you may need backing music with which to make jingles, pretend adverts, radio-dramas etc. You might also need sound effects. Here are some suggestions of sites where you can find resources.
Always read the terms and conditions of any site where you find resources, to make sure your use complies.
Music Clips:
- www.freeplaymusic.com
(Note, resources from this site must be used in school only and may not be put online, or the learning platform or VLE.)
- www.incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free
(These are licensed under Creative Commons. You are allowed to use them for free but you must credit the composer.)
Sound Effects:
- www.freesound.org
(This is a library of Creative Commons sounds. You must usually attribute the creator of the sounds when you use them.)
Other Useful Links
Children and Radio
Free Open Source DJ Software
Streaming across a network
USB microphones
Various audio equipment
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