Scotland today officially rolls out what it is hailing as the world’s first national Film and Screen Curriculum, embedding filmmaking into classrooms for every pupil aged 3 to 18.
The scheme, part of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence, will be launched Wednesday at the Dundee Contemporary Arts by Screen Scotland, Education Scotland and the Scottish Government.
Over three years, the curriculum has been tested in 30 local authorities from Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway, reaching more than 6,000 pupils. Lessons range from nursery children strapping iPads to bikes to capture playground footage to secondary students producing scripted shorts, documentaries and animations. New SQA Film and Screen Awards at Levels 5 and 6 will now offer senior pupils a pathway into accredited qualifications.
“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,” said Fi Milligan-Rennie, head of education-screen at Screen Scotland. “It builds confidence and we have seen across the development period the tremendous positive impacts it has already had for pupils across Scotland.”
Pupils taking part in Film and Screen Curriculum testing at Forthill Primary School in Dundee
Credit: Paul Reid
Actor James McAvoy, who wrote the curriculum’s foreword, called teaching film in schools “the most equitable way to engage in an art form, while demystifying something that can seem distant or inaccessible.” Fellow actors including Mark Bonnar, Julie Wilson Nimmo, Martin Compston, Dougray Scott, Chloe Pirrie and Edith Bowman have also endorsed the initiative.
The rollout follows three phases of pilots that embedded screen educators in schools and trained teachers through summer schools. According to Screen Scotland, 97% of learners in the pilots said they gained new skills, while 100% of teachers reported higher engagement and literacy levels.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said the program would “support the continued growth of film and screen learning in our classrooms.” Culture Secretary Angus Robertson added: “I’m delighted to welcome this world-first curriculum, which brings the magic of film and screen to the classroom for learners of all ages. In addition to encouraging untapped creativity, it will be instrumental in the career development of the next generation of Scottish film and screen talent.” The Scottish Government has projected that the screen sector will be worth £1 billion ($1.35 billion) to Scotland’s economy by 2030.
Teachers and pupils echoed that sentiment. “The curriculum gives pupils ownership over their own learning,” said Laura Heggie of Graeme High School. “They’re so engaged and want to get it right that they are critiquing each other’s work and offering suggestions to improve.” Kian McLear, an S5 pupil at Drummond Community High School, added: “There’s a very good balance between practical work and analysis, and there’s never any lessons or practical tasks that drag on.”
The new subject remains non-compulsory, but Screen Scotland hopes the appetite shown in pilots will drive wide adoption.
