Sunlight, camera, action ......Wild Schools Film Challenge launched

The Learning team are proud to announce that the Wild Schools Film Challenge is ready for schools to book their free kit boxes.

Wild Schools Film Challenge encourages young people to get outdoors and engage with nature by making their own wildlife film in their school grounds. 
Created with the support of the community outreach and education project team from Rolls Royce, Wild Schools Film Challenge is designed to be a fun and inspiring way to learn in the natural environment and support students' classroom learning. 

All of the equipment you need to create your films are available in our kit boxes, including 10 cameras, tripods, ID guides and bug hunting kit and voice recorders.  There are four kit boxes available for schools throughout the Avon area free of charge to borrow.

Our website is packed full of how to guides, lesson plans and resources as well as links to completed films by students.

Many thanks to Ashton Gate and Little Stoke Primary students for all their help over the last year in trialing equipment and the project so that other schools can enjoy doing it.  Charlotte Thomas, year 4 teacher from Ashton Gate Primary School, commented that "students have really loved the filming project and are still very enthusiastic about all the follow-on activities.  We have showcased our films to visitors coming in to school and a number of students have also made films at home using the skills they learnt from the Wild Schools Film Challenge.   A number of parents have commented on how much the children have enjoyed the activity and the whole class are generally more wildlife-conscious in their activities."  

Years 5 and 6 from Little Stoke Primary enjoyed the opportunity to challenge themselves to make a film and agreed that "it was a great way to get fresh air" and that they had found wildlife they never knew existed.  Aidan shared his class' experience: "It was a good learning experience for all of us, and if I had the chance I would do it all over again".


We were also on the BBC news recently who used the project as an example for learning outside the classroom and how it benefits learning and personal development.
If you would like to know more about our Film Challenge please contact schools@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk or 0117 0177270 option 6 or check out our website which includes introductory videos for teachers and students to explain Film Challenge in more detail.

Jo Morris
Learning Development Manager

Wild Schools live on BBC news with Little Stoke Primary

Bright and early on Friday morning, years 5 and 6 students from Little Stoke Primary School became TV stars appearing on BBC Breakfast news. 


Everyone involved even impressed the BBC studio so much during the first live segment that we ended up doing an extra two live segments along with two headlines during BBC 1 breakfast news show which has over 7 million viewers.

The BBC was reporting on research by Sue Waite from the University of Plymouth  on how learning outside of the classroom benefits children's learning when back in the classroom and they were looking for a school to demonstrate an outdoors project.

Thanks to a very enthusiastic Mr Trimble and his year 5 and 6 class the very next morning we set up our Wild Schools Film Challenge in the school grounds ready for the BBC film crew.  The Wild Schools Film Challenge has been piloted by Little Stoke students who  helped test all of the equipment and will be ready to launch in the next few weeks to all schools in Avon.  

Students got the chance to show their film making skills once again live on TV and were true professionals giving some fantastic answers to BBC news reporter John Macguire about why they enjoyed learning outside the classroom.  In case you missed it you can view the last segment here 

 Well done to everyone involved and a special thank you to Mr Trimble and Mr Howes and the students of Little Stoke Primary School for getting up extra early and doing such a fantastic job. We can't wait to see your final films of your school grounds.

Jo Morris