West London Students Learn On James Bond Set

Students at ACS International School Hillingdon have been given the opportunity to work alongside some of the brightest brains in the film industry as part of a world-first further education course. 

Students at the West London school joined forces with Pinewood Studios, which is responsible for the production of box office hits including James Bond, Jurassic Park and Star Wars, as part of their International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-related Programme (CP) in Digital Arts.

During the unique two year course, 16-18-year-old students will complete modules in animation, 3D modelling, game design, visual effects, and computer programming. Courses they are taking and skills they are developing through Pinewood Studios include screenwriting, film production, set design, VFX and animation, and costumes and make up.

Commenting on the benefits of working with industry partners, Andy Groark, the CP Digital Arts Course Leader, said: ‘A big complaint amongst students and teachers alike is that, while academically sound, many further education courses do not adequately prepare young people for the real life future world of work – students leave school full of facts and knowledge, but with no real idea of how they can apply them. 

‘In my experience, there’s no one better placed to teach young people about the realities of the workplace, than the people working in it already. Digital arts is such a hands-on industry and it is critical that students who are hoping to secure jobs in this field are able to gain practical experiences. So, while it’s important that they can practise and refine their skills in the classroom, they also need lots of opportunities to put them into practise and discover what the real possibilities and applications are, and what skills they might need to develop to get where they want to go.’

David O’Regan, General Manager – Creative Media Skills at Pinewood Studios, added: ‘This is a unique opportunity for young people at ACS Hillingdon to come together and authentically learn creative media skills at the heart of the industry. By being tutored in small groups and engaging with individuals who have worked on some of the biggest productions witnessed at the cinema, students will have the chance to learn, develop, and practise life-long skills that are fit for the future.’  

ACS Hillingdon offers a high quality international curriculum to its students aged 4-18. In place of A-Levels, students can opt to study the IB’s Diploma Programme (DP) or Career-related Programme, Advanced Placement (AP) courses or the US High School Diploma. 

Mike, a student who chose to study CP Digital Arts at ACS Hillingdon, describes what attracted him to the course: ‘It’s a really interesting course; we’re doing a lot of things that you don’t usually get to do in the classroom and which I’m personally interested in. Even before the course, I was really into game design and animation, but I didn’t have a way to further my skills and didn’t have any idea of how I could build a career based on it. 

‘I did GCSEs at my previous school, and I could have gone onto A-Levels doing art and such, but the opportunity to work within the field of animation and learn from people actually in the industry interested me enough to entirely move away from the British education system and pursue the IB instead.’ 

ACS Hillingdon’s CP Digital Arts course is designed to build the qualities students need to secure, and prosper in, a wide range of 21^st century careers. Helping them to understand the ethical dilemmas many people face in the workplace, students are required to complete a reflective project which explores, in depth, an ethical dilemma associated with an issue from their career-related studies. 

The IB is a world-renowned curriculum provider and the CP’s sister course, the DP, is a highly regarded, academically rigorous qualification. CP students are required to take a minimum of two DP courses, which are each approximately equivalent to an A-Level, and therefore gain real life experience in their field of interest, while building a solid academic foundation which will enable them to secure places at top universities in the UK and around the globe. 

Andy Groark, added: ‘There are many pathways that can prepare young people for their future careers. Our CP Digital Arts course is designed as a steppingstone for students who have clear career goals in the industry. And, for those students who are not quite sure what career they wish to pursue, but know they enjoy coding, animation, game development and visual effects, and want a rigorous qualification that will open doors for them at some of the best universities in the UK and internationally, it is a fantastic further education option that prepares students to be both academically and career ready, no matter where they go next.’

See ACS Hillingdon International School’s online listing here.