Dippy: I did say START with IR ! I'm an enormous fan of 433 MHz, but know only too well the frustrations that new users may experience.
FWIW -teens are considered the toughest users going, & groups of them may "innocently" destroy even battle hardened gear. I no longer take this personally, & consider my resource management techniques pretty sound,so now just recognise it'll be a reality. It occurs in all technical fields of course- during WW2 non-operational issues caused more aircraft losses than enemy action.
But never mind electronics-I recall once taking in to a class a beefy ~100 year old metal working anvil (inherited from my plumbing grandad) for some light copper work, only to have it astoundingly broken within a few hours. You & I could have hit it for days with a sledge hammer & never managed this...
Reefrich: All PICAXEs now handle Sony style IR via inbuilt INFRAIN(2) commands - see the manuals. The baby 08M however has so revolutionised simple & reliable 38kHz IR datacomms (both sending & receiving) that it's now the automatic choice for learners. Just purchase a Yishay style 3 leg 38kHz IR detector (for receiving) & an IR LED for transmitting. You can wire 2 IR LEDs in series for greater TX output & get ranges ~10m. Perhaps also grab a nifty universal IR remote from a coin shop,as these are great transmitters too. Naturally IR obeys the laws of optics, so the lads can even trial suitable lens & mirror enhancers for range extension and signal directioning quests. Hey-two topics at once! Stan.
Extra: Thanks JJ for that B-24 insight - popped in while I was editing!