The Young BAFTA Roadshow with Place2Be arrives in South London

18 December 2024

Children at Surrey Square Primary in South London were surprised with a Young BAFTA Roadshow visit this week, hosted by presenter Shanequa Paris (BBC Newsround, Radio 1) and actor Inel Tomlinson (Horrible Histories, CBBC).

Presenters Shanequa Paris and Inel Tomlinson photographed smiling outdoors with Surrey Square Primary students and Head Teacher Matt Morden.

The school recently took home the top prize at the 2024 Pearson National Teaching Awards, winning Gold for Making a Difference - Primary School of the Year.

The Young BAFTA Roadshow exists to champion children’s creativity and teach important life skills through film, games, and television.

We had a wonderful, excitement-filled day with Surrey Square Primary students. The children brought so much energy to the presenting masterclass and were curious to learn more about career possibilities in film, TV, and gaming. I can’t wait to see where this inspiring bunch of children go in the future! Shanequa Paris, BBC Newsround and Radio 1’s Life Hacks presenter

Each Roadshow includes a variety of interactive elements, including competitions and roundtable discussions, classroom meet and greets, as well as a presenting masterclass and a games design workshop. This all enables the children to build their confidence while highlighting BAFTA’s Young Presenter initiative, and its Young Game Designers programme, which is now open for entries.

The activities on offer grant children access to creative talent and positive role models, while raising awareness and encouraging the diversity of young people interested in a career in arts and media.

This week’s roadshow at Surrey Square Primary really reinforced the importance of encouraging curiosity and excitement about the screen industries in younger generations. Both Shanequea and I had so much fun with the students, and I really loved watching their confidence grow throughout the day! Inel Tomlinson (Horrible Histories, CBBC)

BAFTA has been partnering with Place2Be since 2016. This year the Young BAFTA Roadshow has visited ten Place2Be partner schools across Scotland, Wales and England.

All selected schools that take part in the Roadshows have a free school meals rate above the national average.

Inspiring the next generation of budding creatives, designers and content creators is central to BAFTA’s purpose. We are thrilled to partner with Place2Be on our national roundshow, bringing talent to regions across the UK to showcase the power of our brilliant screen industries. Nurturing children’s creativity is crucial for mental wellbeing and also offers a huge variety of transferable skills and we believe it has a vital place in the school curriculum. This wonderful initiative champions a more inclusive screen industry by providing aspiration from an early age and highlighting the variety of career opportunities available. Lisa Prime Head of Children & Young People’s Programmes at BAFTA

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