A bold new project aimed at helping children across the county and beyond has been started at a Dorset school.

St Mary’s Middle School in Puddletown has launched an exciting new project designed to support student learning while equipping their own students with key media skills.

My Stars Productions is a media production company run by pupils from the school.

The pupils are shooting, editing and and producing short, educational videos other students can access at home.

The innovative project has even piqued the interest of Bournemouth University.

Last month a team of ambassadors from the university led a two-day training workshop for St Mary's pupils covering all aspects of media production, from equipment to editing.

My Stars Productions’ leader, Jenny Welsby said: “It’s been wonderful to be a part of such a positive collaboration across the educational spectrum. Bournemouth University could not have been more enthusiastic in getting behind our project.

"Having the country’s foremost media university involved and producing content with a real life application has created a relatable context for their work. It was fantastic to see our students so inspired.

Mrs Welsby added the school were always looking for creative ways to enhance pupils’ learning.

"We need to acknowledge and embrace the fact that the way we communicate, learn and access information is changing. In producing these videos, we not only provide our students with vital new life-skills but the wider community benefits by the outcome - a platform whereby children can learn in the comfort of their own home."

She added often children struggled with work outside the classroom environment as they often could not always retain and use the information teachers had given them -with parents finding themselves trying to piece together clues of what might have been said.

"With these videos, the students can watch, rewatch and involve their family in the process; a rare educational win win. I’m very proud to say a rural middle school in Dorset now has its own media production company,“”

My Stars Productions’ videos are set to be uploaded to St Mary’s YouTube channel in September 2018.

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