Last month, our community students – led by Catherine, one of our dedicated community teachers – visited the Into Film Festival, a free UK-wide celebration of film and cinema for young people held throughout November. The festival offered our students a chance to experience a range of films on the big screen and take part in creative and reflective activities designed to support their learning.
Naomi, Head of Community, said:
“As part of our community programme, we’re always looking to diversify our teaching and learning so that students can benefit in a variety of ways, both academically and personally. Experiences like this form an important part of that approach.”
During the visit, students watched films such as ‘The Wild Robot’ and ‘IF’, before taking part in follow-up activities including discussions and writing film reviews. These tasks allowed students not only to engage meaningfully with the films, but also to improve their literacy skills by reflecting on character development, themes, and their own responses. The experience encouraged them to express their views in a structured, confident way while expanding their vocabulary and understanding of storytelling.
Importantly, the trip also played a significant role in helping students build confidence in public settings. For many, simply being in the cinema, surrounded by others and navigating a new environment, was an achievement in itself. It gave them the opportunity to practice independence, feel more at ease in their community, and take pride in stepping outside their usual routines.
The films themselves provided valuable moments of emotional development. Through the characters and narratives on screen, students were able to explore different perspectives and emotions in a safe, engaging way. This supported their emotional awareness, empathy, and ability to reflect on their own experiences.
Following this experience, we asked our students how they felt after taking part.
Zoe, who went with Catherine to view ‘The Wild Robot’ commented “I enjoyed going to the cinema; it was a good film. Afterwards we talked about the film, and I did a film review.”
Riley watched the film, ‘IF’ and remarked, “It was good to go to the cinema, and I would love to do it again. The film was good too – the characters were excellent and very well made.”
Callum also attended ‘IF’ with Riley and Catherine, and said, “It was exciting to go to the cinema, especially with someone else (Riley) for the social aspect. In the film, the characters were funny and it was well directed. They were bright and colourful. It was good to discuss the film with Riley and Catherine.”
Our community students are often young people who have been out of education for an extended period of time and are at risk of becoming NEET. Much of their learning is delivered individually and initially focuses around reengaging them with education with a view of reintegration into a school at some point in the future. So having the chance for some of our students to come together as a group was especially meaningful. The trip helped them reconnect socially, rebuilding their confidence, and allowing them to experience a shared sense of achievement – an important step in their reintegration into education.
Overall, the visit to the Into Film Festival was a hugely valuable experience. It supported academic development, emotional growth, and social confidence, and gave our students the opportunity to learn, reflect, and enjoy something new together. We are incredibly proud of how they embraced the day and made the most of every moment.
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