Film Education

Film Education has launched its new schools service over the NEN with SEGfL.

Curriculum resources based on international feature films are now available to all schools through the NEN from ‘Film Education’. Working with SEGfL and Janet a new website has been developed especially for schools using the broadband networks to deliver streamed video and other resources for Primary and Secondary schools for use in subjects, media literacy and in support for the “big picture” concept underlying curriculum development in the UK.

Amongst the resources available are old favourites such as ‘Oliver Twist’ and ‘Beowulf’ and BAFTA winners like ‘Die Another Day’ and ‘King Arthur’. Facing the challenges of the world today last year’s film ‘Persopolis’ set in Iran deals with “war, revolution, family, punk – growing up.”
Other projects include:

• Slumdog Millionaire (GCSE/A-Level)  the new British film (out Jan ’09) by Danny Boyle (Shallow Grave, Trainspotting) about a boy in India who is thrust into the limelight.
• The Secret of Moon Acre (KS2) - the Warner Bros adaptation of The Little White Horse to be release in February ‘09.
• The Boat that Rocked (GCSE/A-Level) - the Richard Curtis (4 Weddings & A Funeral, Love Actuality) new block buster which will open in April ‘09.
• The Boy in Striped Pyjamas (KS3) - the adaptation of John Boyne's novel that has done well in cinemas and will be out on DVD on March 9. The resource includes an exclusive full-length interview with its author along with a range of activities and study clips from the film, particularly useful for those schools developing programmes of work around Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27th
• Hotel for Dogs (KS2), to be released in 2009 which should engage pupils and teachers alike and provides a perfect platform to explore narrative, characterisation and invention as well as wider ideas about pets and the relationship between people and animals

Film Education works directly with the distributors of the films to develop the resources, and clear permissions for the video clips , often on an exclusive basis. Delivery through the NEN will help schools obtain best quality from the streamed video and enable all teachers and pupils to have access at any time. Access is also available at home for pupils, parents and carers and teachers over the WWW. The Film Education NEN service also has support areas for teachers and news of other activities for schools and CPD events such as National Film Week as they occur during the year.

 

Film education looks forward to developing the opportunities for online learning with SEGfL and the NEN. The film resources will work alongside other NEN resources such as Unlocking Archives, Screenonline and Audio Network to give schools a platform from which to address media literacy across the curriculum with confidence. The Film Education on the NEN initiative has been managed by SEGfL as part of our contribution to the NEN. In collaboration with Ja.net, SEGfL provides the hosting facility and interconnections to the other education networks throughout the UK.