Ten Stories for Ten Years: Teacher Training and Development

In 2019, we ran a three-year sustainable development project for educators in Bradford, Bristol and Belfast. Teachers were shown how film can positively impact young people's literacy learning. Below, Headteacher Jill Elam, of Shelf Junior and Infant School in Halifax, tells us how the project has led to a whole school change.

"When we started the project, I don't think any of us envisaged where we'd be in three years' time. It's had a huge impact across the whole school.

Today, we see the children thinking about and using film in ways they would never have done before. They're able to get ideas and starting points from film, which gives them a deeper understanding of what they're learning.

We see them enjoying their lessons more, which automatically gives us higher levels of outcomes. Even children who were reluctant to engage in English, or found writing tough, now get excited and are no longer scared to get involved.

For us as teachers, film has now become a go-to way of recording or sharing things. I know using film as a tool for learning has also really helped my senior leaders think about how to structure their lessons to get the most out of them.

I've developed professionally through the project, too. Seeing other teachers sharing their ideas and their work has helped me feel more confident to be able to do that myself.

Film for Literacy is now built into our school development plan. It really has transformed teaching and learning, and led to a whole school change."