Pupils capture beautiful coast on film
Creative pupils at a primary school have been working with a scientist and a film team to create a video about part of the North Ayrshire coastline.
In partnership with the Craft Town Scotland organisation, children at West Kilbride Primary School have been involved in annual projects that cover the topics of culture, education and well-being using local themes and locations.
Almost 100 pupils in P4 and P5 have investigated the geological wonders of the Clyde estuary with geologist Calum Dunn.
Their discoveries and findings have been included in a short video called Our Coast, which shows them filming behind the scenes and heading to the beach to learn about their local environment and climate.
Councillor Shaun Macaulay, Cabinet Member for Education and Young People, is delighted that the children are showing such a keen interest in the area they live in.
Quote: This is a wonderful project that has given the pupils a sense of how their community and surrounding areas developed over time, and also an opportunity to see how modern technology is used to make films. Congratulations to everyone involved in this project. I look forward to seeing what Gemma and her team at the school come up with next!
Quote from: Councillor Shaun Macaulay, Cabinet Member for Education and Young People
Gemma Carson, Headteacher at West Kilbride Primary School, said: “This has all been done with the aim of building the children’s connection to where they live, developing their sense of guardianship and critical thinking skills.
“They also had hands-on film training with the project’s filmmaker, Struan Adam.
“They remembered well what they learned through interacting with the geologist tutor, Calum Dunn, at the beach and their play helped further retain the information in what was an all-round stimulating experience.”
Following the trip to the beach, the children discussed their thoughts, interviewed each other on camera about what they had discovered and enjoyed and created some artwork on the topic.
Their work was recently on show at The Barony Centre in West Kilbride and Gemma said this helped boost their connections to their community, with the classes having an opportunity to visit the exhibition to view their work on display.
Struan, from The Media Studio, praised the children, saying: “It was great to work with the pupils. I have been really inspired by the interest and enthusiasm from them.”
Please note: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) became part of Scots law in summer 2024, highlighting that everyone has an ongoing responsibility to protect the rights of our children. North Ayrshire Council follows and respects the UNCRC to ensure that all children’s rights are respected and that they are free to learn, play and develop. Children are learning about these rights in school and Article 31 of the Convention highlights that they have the right to rest, relax and play – including being part of cultural and artistic activities. West Kilbride Primary’s filming project is a fine example of Article 31 being put into practice.
Published: 17 March 2025