Schoolchildren had lessons beamed in via satellite link

Lessons are coming from out of this world at a Wearside comprehensive school.

Pupils can now tune into any of 16 different television channels worldwide following the installation of a 1.6 metre satellite dish on a roof at Monkwearmouth School.

The fibre glass dish receives pictures beamed from one or two orbiting European satellites 23,000 miles above the equator.

It then reflects it on to its antennae and down to the receiver unit and screen in the school.

It is the first satellite receiver at any school in the North East and will be used by modern communications classes as well as for other subjects.

Jerry Fitzgibbon, modern communications teacher, said at the time: “We are always talking in lessons about new innovations like cable and satellite television, but usually we only see them in books.

“Now they can see it and use it at first hand.”

“It also benefits science and language classes, and even the cookery class take programmes from it,” added Mr Fitzgibbon who is a member of the North East Communications Teachers’ Association.

The association has organised a conference on ‘Satellites in Education’ and it features leading experts in the field.

The conference was being held at the school at the end of the month.