Stars from across Scotland’s big and small screens have come together to welcome the rollout of Film and Screen as a practical arts subject in schools across Scotland, for pupils aged from three to 18.
The national rollout of Film and Screen into Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence was officially launched today (September 10), with James McAvoy, Irvine Welsh and Edith Bowman among the big names lending their support.
Over the last three years, Screen Scotland has devised, designed and delivered a programme to test and evaluate the Film and Screen Curriculum, a curriculum for every level of formal Scottish Education. Schools in 30 local authority areas across Scotland, including Shetland, Scottish Borders, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway and Angus have been involved in this globally unique programme delivered to over 6,000 children across early years, primary and secondary education.
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Fi Milligan-Rennie, head of education, screen at Screen Scotland said: “Screen Scotland’s film and screen curriculum creates democracy of opportunity for every child and young person to learn about the film and screen industries in Scotland, to understand how it works and most importantly to recognise that they can be part of it. Filmmaking, making television programmes or content online requires the ability to tell stories well, to persuade colleagues to work with you, to gather resources and plan ahead. It builds confidence and we have seen across the development period the tremendous positive impacts it has already had for pupils across Scotland.
“It is thanks to the enthusiasm, commitment and willingness to creatively experiment from schools across the country that we can now celebrate Film and Screen as a subject in its own right.”
Neil Millar from Education Scotland added: “Over the last three years I have been proud to work with, and support, the inspiring work that has been undertaken in creating and facilitating the draft Film and Screen Curriculum across Scotland. From the outset, the educational and social impact of the pilot Film and Screen curriculum on schools, teachers and most importantly pupils, has been immense. The proof of this is in the curriculum work developed and showcased by the children and young people themselves.”
Actor, director, Shameless star and the X-Men’s Professor X, James McAvoy, concluded: “Teaching film and screen in schools is the most equitable way to engage in an art form, while demystifying something that can seem distant or inaccessible. It’s not just about the next generations of Scottish filmmakers, it’s about understanding the creative right to be seen and heard and making the space and time for that to happen, for every child in Scotland.”
Other talent from both behind and in front of the cameras welcoming the news included Lucy Halliday, Mark Bonnar, Julie Wilson Nimmo, Chloe Pirrie, Martin Compston, Dougray Scott, Sanjeev Kohli, Mark Cousins and Lauren Lyle.
