CUMBRAE Primary pupils are taking to the airwaves after securing funding to set up their own broadcasting school.

Around 70 island pupils will get a taste of a career in the media thanks to funding from CalMac's community fund.

The £1,900 grant was secured by Cumbrae Community Radio to turn the school into a 'broadcasting production primary'.

The award will enable the station to provide equipment and facilities so that pupils can work with their teachers to develop, prepare and record their own shows, which will be broadcast across the island.

The project will become a core part of the primary school's curriculum.

Station producer Paul Edward Watling said: "A community is stronger when working together and we are now able to introduce a fun and exciting way for the children of Cumbrae to learn about broadcast and media production.

"We plan to build a full working mock radio station with recording abilities where teachers can select members from each class to invent and record their own radio show.

"They will also be taught how to replace broken components and fix tech issues that may arise.

"The project will see members from Cumbrae Community Radio working with the teachers to ensure they have a full understanding of the system."

Cumbrae Primary teacher Mrs Cameron assisted the children last year in a one off radio show, which sparked the desire to make it a permanent feature in their calendar.

Shee said: "The kids had a blast and loved the messages that poured in from parents when they were on air.

"The skills and confidence they gained from the one session was so lovely to see and I was so proud of them."

Paul added: "Unfortunately due to the location of the radio station that was a one off. Now thanks to this funding, we can now take this experience to the school."

CalMac’s director of community and stakeholder engagement Brian Fulton said: "We are already seeing the awards put to good use and I’m delighted that we will be able to introduce pupils on Cumbrae to the world of broadcasting.

"Having the opportunity to actually get involved in the production of a radio show is a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills.

"These are tools that will stand them in good stead whatever career path they choose."