The school podcast that beat the professionals to a top award

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. The school podcast that beat the professionals to a top award Image source, Peter KellyImage caption, Pupils at Holy Cross have interviewed several authors, including Nathanael LessorePublished29 June 2026Updated 30 June 2026A podcast produced in a South Lanarkshire school has beaten professional broadcasters to land an award. The Reading Cafe features pupils from Holy Cross High School in Hamilton discussing books and quizzing authors, musicians and other cultural figures about literature. It has been running for five years and is the brainchild of Peter Kelly, an English teacher at the school.

Last week it took home the Scotland's Emerging Talent prize at the first ever Scottish Podcast Awards, with other winners including football podcast Open Goal and Still Game star Ford Kiernan's the Ford & Shelby Show. More stories from Glasgow & West Scotland More stories from Scotland Guests on the Reading Cafe have included young adult author Emily Varga, comic book writer Mark Millar and Stuart Murdoch, the singer with indie pop band Belle & Sebastian. Peter Kelly, who produces the podcast, told Scotland's Lunchtime Live programme the award was a "huge honour, but thoroughly unexpected".

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"It's a huge amount of extra work, but it does not feel like that because it is such a passion project for me," he added. "It's wonderful being able to see a variety of young people being able to develop through the course of taking part. They come in with individual characters and passions, that then is shaped into potential futures, like jobs - but most importantly it's experiences they will never forget.

"That also brings in different flavours of what we cover, like, say sports journalism - it's catered to what that year's pupils are inspired by. " Image source, Gemma KellyImage caption, The podcast has featured conversations with other artists, like Stuart Murdoch from Belle & SebastianKelly struck upon the podcast idea out of a desire to get children talking about reading and interested in the subject, saying he aimed to "bring the excitement of reading to them". This quickly led to interviews with authors being organised.

"You bring them face to face with writers and it shows them the possibility of being a writer. "There's a common thread where authors say they didn't have the confidence to be a writer or maybe hadn't found the right access point until they came into contact who helped them find a way. "Image source, Yasmin NorvillImage caption, About 15 to 20 pupils usually put the podcast togetherAs producer he helps the children prepare for interviews and research their guests, but encourages them to improvise and follow the direction of an interview rather than sticking to a set script.

About 15 pupils work on each instalment of the podcast and Kelly said a number of students who take part are interested in pursuing careers in the media, whether as journalists, podcasters or influencers.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.