74470-29A SWINDON special school has been given thousands of pounds to make a film. Ten and 11-year-olds at Nyland Special School will make a short film about emotional awareness after the school was given a £4,000 lottery grant.

Alwen Lloyd Jones, a teaching assistant who worked to get the funding with teacher Geraldine King, was delighted with the news.

"It will give the children the opportunity to make a film right from scratch," she said.

The film, to be called Making Choices, will tie in with an emotional awareness week that the school is running.

It will also form part of the work, being carried out by a speech therapist at the school to boost emotional literacy among pupils.

Miss Lloyd Jones explained: "It's helping the children to learn about their feelings and how to express themselves.

"It will help them recognise when they are feeling angry so they know how to deal with it.

"The story line for the film will be created by the children themselves."

The lottery money comes from First Light, the UK Film Council's young person's filmmaking initiative.

The programme allows youngsters to make short films under the guidance of professional filmmakers.

Children at Nyland will be involved in the whole process, from scriptwriting, and acting through to sound, lighting, directing and editing.

John Woodward, UK Film Council chief executive officer, said: "It's great that these young people will be able to get their first taste of filmmaking thanks to this lottery funding.

"Several of the young people involved in First Light projects have gone on to win awards for their work.

"This funding means that more young people from Swindon will have the chance to follow that success."

First Light holds annual awards to celebrate the best of the films which are made under its innovative programme.

The film made by Nyland pupils could feature at the 2006 First Light Film Awards ceremony which is due to be held at the Odeon West End in Leicester Square.

Pip Eldridge, First Light chief executive officer, said: "We're confident that Making Choices will be a thought-provoking film that will give people plenty to think about."

Nyland School in Nylands Road, Nythe, caters for 38 pupils who suffer from social emotional or behavioural problems.

Isabel Field