A SCHOOL in North Yorkshire has made it through to the finals of a special television debating programme.

Whitby Community College, in Prospect Hill, has been announced as a finalist in the BBC Schools Question Time Challenge by the programme's presenter, David Dimbleby.

Only 12 schools from across the UK have reached the final stage of the challenge, and they now have a chance of producing a special Question Time programme going out on BBC1 in the summer.

The challenge, supported by the BT education programme and Institute for Citizenship, involves pupils staging their own televised debates.

The schools won their place in the final by applying for a free citizenship education pack produced by BT, which helped them write a proposal showing how they would stage their event, with details of the panel they intend to approach, topics to be discussed and who will chair the event.

Each of the finalists will now make their proposed plans a reality by staging their own School Question Time debate using a £500 grant from BT.

Teacher John Winter said it's the second year the college has entered and got through to the finals, but this time they hope to win.

On March 17, 20 students from Years Ten, 11 and 12 will stage their own question time style debate in front of the judges and an audience of parents and pupils.

Confirmed panel members on that day are outspoken UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom and freelance journalist Wesley Mallon. Organisers are hoping they will be joined by North Yorkshire's Chief Constable Della Cannings and best-selling author Graham Taylor.

Updated: 09:02 Wednesday, February 16, 2005