Working with schools

Working with schools can be very rewarding – it can bring young people to your venue that may not otherwise attend. This is why it’s vitally important to make sure that any films you screen for them or speakers you use will not only educate, but will also appeal – the last thing you want is for them to have such a terrible time they will never want to come back.

Getting a few key teachers on side is incredibly useful, and if you want to run a schools programme, a termly newsletter offers teachers the time they need to plan any trips in advance. Local authorities often do large mail-outs to schools, so it is worth finding out if your newsletter can be included in any of these.

Bear in mind that schools will all have access to their own DVD/video screening facilities, so it is up to the cinema to offer them experiences they cannot get at school. Daytime events using film prints you are screening in the evenings can work really well – it lowers print costs (and not just in terms of transport – some distributors charge less for educational screenings) and offers current releases that they cannot yet access privately. Accompanying industry speakers, introductory talks, etc are also appealing.

Make sure teachers (and, ideally, students) leave with information or study materials about how to integrate their visit into their follow-up teaching. There are many accessible resources available already via Film Education and bfi Education, as well as through MovIES (contact Cathy Poole) . You will find that word of mouth spreads through the teaching community, so a good trip to the cinema for one group can have a great knock-on effect. Housing INSET (teacher training) days (which can be arranged with bfi Education or by you as a venue) can also be a rewarding educational strand.