SCHOOLCHILDREN can visit the cinema for free next term as part of a national scheme to educate through film.

National Schools Film Week has already drawn support from stars of the industry, including Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle.

The scheme provides schools with free tickets to screenings, online resources and special talks to help students understand and discuss the films better, and allows teachers to select films they feel will most benefit the topics their children were studying.

Students from The Minster School and The Mount School in York have taken part in the scheme in the past.

Sophie Schoukroun, of The Minster School, said the international range of films shown were a benefit to her classes.

She said: “The children were able to get an awareness of French and Spanish culture, through the films shown.”

Louise Williams, of the Mount School, said their class was shown The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas.

She said: “We built a media study of the film into our Year Nine curriculum, and we felt able to devote time to discussing the many issues that arose in a sensitive atmosphere without strict constraint of time.”

Danny Boyle, director of Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire, said it was important to get children into the cinema.

“I’m very proud to be a patron of Film Education and National Schools Film Week because I think it’s important that people go to the cinema as soon possible in their lives, and then keep going,” he said.

For a list of the screenings at City Screen, Vue, and Reel Cinema and to book free tickets to the screenings, teachers should visit nsfw.org