Crawley school's film to premiere at Cineworld

Scene from Southgate Primary School: The Movie

Southgate Primary School has started filming a magical tale in a bid to teach youngsters the value of teamwork.

The brainchild of IT teacher Chris McGivern, ‘Southgate Primary School: The Movie’ will have its first screening at Crawley Cineworld on July 13.

Mr McGivern, a Crawley teacher for more 14 years, who last year created a similar film at The Oaks Primary School, said: “I feel like this film is ten times better now.

“I’m in charge of computers and I’ve always loved technology and how it can excite and enthuse children so I’m always looking for fun ways to engage them.”

Mr McGivern said hundreds of pupils had signed up to see the screening.

He added the Mayor of Crawley Raj Sharma will go and hoped the hour-long movie would become viral after it is released on YouTube.

The fantastical story pitches pupils and staff against ‘evil builders’. It features a young trio solving problems in a race against time to save the school from demolition. It will be told with musical sequences where youngsters are lip-synced to popular songs.

The enthusiastic teacher, who appeared on Channel 4 television show Come Dine With Me in 2012, admitted to playing the fool in order to help children learn.

Mr McGivern, who has worked on the movie for months, said: “Behind it all is rigour - the children are learning if I can make it fun and memorable, even if I act like an idiot.”

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