Students can go to the cinema for free in a bid to strengthen teaching through film

Thousands of school children will get a lesson in how cinema can boost learning as they gear up for national schools film week.

Students across Brent get to go to the cinema free of charge as part of a national programme to link film with teaching.

Filmmaker, Danny Boyle, who directed Slumdog Millionaire, has thrown his support behind the scheme.

He said: “I am 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 as possible in their lives, and then keep going.”

Schools can take their pupils to films free of charge, and access online resources which school topics.

Nick Walker director of the festival: “We hope that teachers and students feel engaged in the festival and realise that attending a screening is far more than a nice trip to the cinema.

“We do this by giving schools added talks and on line resources to contextualise the film, to empower teachers, and to encourage students to explore new worlds by seeing films.”

The Lexi cinema, the Chamberlayne Road, Kensal Rise, and the Tricycle Cinema in Kilburn High Road are among the venues taking part in the festival.

To book tickets visit nsfw.org.