The Contribution of the Characteristics of Schools Programmes to their Use in English Primary Schools

This article looks at the contribution of the characteristics of schools television programmes to their use in English primary schools: what made the programmes a useful teaching and learning aid, and how such characteristics influenced children's reactions to and facilitated their learning from the programmes. A qualitative case‐studies research into four English primary schools found that the popularity and usefulness of schools programmes lie in the inclusion of the following characteristics: (a) coverage of Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study; (b) accompanying resources of programmes; (c) broadcasting length; (d) target age groups and the use of language; (e) broadcasting pace and forms; (f) the insertion of visual pictures and humorous features; (g) the presence of children and familiar presenters.