Schools get free cinema tickets to enhance learning (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Schools get free cinema tickets to enhance learning

9:59am Tuesday 11th September 2012 in News By Steven Bell, Senior Reporter

HUNDREDS of children are to swap pencils for popcorn to enhance their learning.

School pupils will enjoy free cinema trips to watch films which cover themes and areas of the National Curriculum they study in class.

The activity forms part of National Schools Film Week — running between October 15-26 — which aims to support classroom teaching by providing students with a ‘powerful experience’.

School staff can also take advantage of an online resource library related to individual films and more generic topics, creating an ‘extended classroom’.

Levens CE School was one of several taking part last year.

Head teacher Matthew Foxwell said: “The film was linked into our study topic about secrets and stories. Elements were relevant to story writing, which the children are doing.

“We had a discussion in the classroom about how films are reviewed and students looked up examples of this. They were also set homework about film reviews.”

St Thomas CE Primary School, Kendal, and St Mark’s CE School, Natland, have signed up so far but, as booking only opened at the end of August, the number is set to rise.

Nick Walker, National Schools Film Week director, said: “The festival seeks to create a greater understanding of cinema, based on the concept of relationships and dialogues in a variety of films, address issues of cultural exchange and raise awareness among teaching professionals of the use of film. This is achieved by in-cinema talks and online resources, which give teachers the tools to encourage students to explore new cinematic worlds.”

Films that will be shown at Kendal’s Brewery Arts Centre include Eleanor’s Secret, Heartbeats, Mirror Mirror, Kirikou and the Sorceress, including an introduction by storyteller Taffy Thomas, War Horse and The Muppets.