We began LitFilmFest with one aim in mind – to shake up the system and improve the lives of teachers and children by using simple purpose to support literacy. Becoming part of the revolution means joining thousands of teachers across the country completing LitFilmFest projects every year.

A LitFilmFest membership gives access to every single project, which allows you to radically improve children’s literacy engagement and progress. With over 350 hours of project planning in our current library, we know there are a lot of options to choose from. To help, we’ve created a project map which will help you pick a project that suits your needs.

 

How do LitFilmFest projects work?

There are a few key ideas that form the basis of LitFilmFest projects:

 1. Engage through technology

Increasing pupils’ rate of progress by up to 3.5 times the UK average by engaging with pupils’ interests. Read the research here.

2. Provide real purpose

Allowing children to explore real issues and produce a shareable video output. 

3. Keep it simple yet expansive.

Fully resourced, whilst also flexible enough to be used in any classroom.

4. Support with partners

Bringing in carefully chosen, expert partners when creating projects adds real world value to the classroom. It also allows us to keep some projects free for all schools.

Shhh… we’re also secretly trying to help teachers save the world by teaching children about issues that really matter, for example in these projects: Team Tap, Change It, Plastic Times, Pupil Parliament…

 

LitFilmFest Memberships

A LitFilmFest membership gives users access to all projects, including new releases when they come out. Alongside this, our partners support us to make sure we have free projects to make sure all children can benefit from using them in the classroom. 

Individual Membership

Individual membership allows one user access to all LitFilmFest projects, either on a monthly or yearly basis. LitFilmFest projects help create radical improvements in literacy progress and engagement. You’ll be part of a classroom revolution – joining teachers who are giving children the opportunity to engage with real issues, and use technology as a powerful tool to show them the power of their voices.

To begin the process, once you have joined, check out the project guide and then log into your account so you can choose which project to start with your children! There you’ll also be able to view learning videos, download project plans, whiteboard files and supporting resources.

 

Taking it Further

Sharing your pupils’ completed work is a huge part of what gives LitFilmFest projects purpose. Hosting an assembly or a spectacular film festival to celebrate in school halls, theatres, cinemas and even the biggest cinema screen in Britain, we’ve helped organise them all.

Host your own

If you want to host your own, we’ve put together a download pack which you can use as a blueprint for an assembly for pupils (and parents). By organising your own festival, you can go as small or as big as you like.

Check out this school in Bolton who asked two alpine horn blowers and their local MP to open their festival in their school hall! Equally, a simple celebration assembly is just as fitting.

The Professional Touch

Some schools really go the extra mile and showcase just how much they are bringing learning to life in the classroom by asking our team to put on their own LitFilmFest.

As well as training your teachers before they deliver their LitFilmFest projects in class, the LitFilmFest team come in with filming equipment to help your pupils to produce their own films professionally. We then host the festival itself for all your parents to attend.

 

FAQs

How do I start a LitFilmFest project?

Easy. Just sign up, log in, and choose your first project from the project library. Each one is self-contained, providing everything you’ll need to get going!

What is included in the projects?

A planning overview, planning, daily IWB files with links to the unique classroom videos we create. There will also be supporting resources for each lesson and sometimes display materials. All of these, apart from the videos hosted on our website, are downloadable from Google Drive or Dropbox.

What technology do I need to complete the filming?

LitFilmFest projects are created with simplicity in mind, so if you have an iPad or tablet with a camera, that will be enough. Many of our projects are about creating a class video output rather than one each, so don’t worry if you have limited access to tech.

Which projects will suit my class?

It’s best to check the library and look at each project to see what will fit into your curriculum, or see p8/9 to get a simple comparison. We also have a project map which might help.

I’m not very confident with editing or making video, does this mean I can’t do the projects?

Definitely not! These projects are the perfect springboard for starting to create videos in the classroom. We also include editing tips, guides and app recommendations in our projects to help. Remember that often the children will want to take control of this too!

I’d like to host a LitFilmFest event at my school, how do I get started?

Check out the download pack. This has all the information you’ll need, plus the details of how to get your own personalised event pack!

Who should I contact if I have any problems?

You can email [email protected] or tweet us @LitFilmFest. We’ll be on it as soon as possible!

 

“Wish we did LitFilmFest every term. Planning for next week all done in PPA today. Got my weekend back, thank you!”

Louise Atkinson,
Cumwhinton Primary School

The research behind LitFilmFest

In a four month research study supported by the UCL Institute of Education, we worked with 200 KS2 students across three schools to measure the efficacy of our approach.

View research