Hills Road students lead filming for Flight Free Schools campaign

Four A level Film Studies students – Oliver Bowman, Lena Popczyk, Kamila Matviienko and Lara Williams – have been leading the production of a new film supporting the Flight Free Schools campaign.

Flight Free Schools is an initiative encouraging education settings to reduce air travel and consider more sustainable alternatives.

Leading the way

Working in collaboration formed through the English, Media and Film department and Chris Graham, Head of Sustainability at Hills Road, the students were responsible for planning, filming and conducting interviews across the College.

From shaping the narrative to managing technical roles on the day, the project was entirely student-driven.

Oliver explained that the experience strengthened both his technical knowledge and teamwork skills. "We rotated roles throughout the day — including camera, audio, lighting and interviewer — which gave me greater confidence using the equipment and broadened my understanding of how a film crew operates."

Working with Flight Free UK

The students worked closely with Anna Hughes, Director of Flight Free UK and organiser of the Flight Free Schools campaign, during her visit to Hills Road Sixth Form College on 6 February. The campaign promotes pledges to avoid school flights and encourages informed discussion about more sustainable travel choices.

Lara reflected on the value of working directly with a national campaign representative. "It was valuable to help bring Anna’s vision to life. Having her present throughout the filming day gave us insight into how documentary projects operate beyond the classroom."

Real-world filmmaking

For the student team, the project provided practical experience beyond the classroom. Lara noted that the documentary format helped develop her filmmaking style. "Filming B-roll for the final edit allowed me to experiment with different approaches, which will support my Film Studies coursework."

Lena also emphasised the professional insight the project offered. "This experience allowed me to work in a different environment, supporting a charity and contributing in a practical way. It was a great opportunity to develop my skills ahead of starting my Year 13 coursework."

Interviewing Jo Trump, Principal - Behind the scenes of Flight Free UK

Student voices in sustainability

Hills Road Sixth Form College is committed to giving young people a platform for meaningful agency in environmental action.

Chris Graham explained that was a key driver in the collaboration with Flight Free UK: "When young people have a genuine platform to be voices for change, their ideas gain momentum, conversations broaden, and we move closer to achieving the level of impact required in sustainability.

"By combining environmental leadership with creative media skills, our students are not only stepping forward as sustainability advocates, but also developing their ability to communicate complex issues in a clear and engaging way," he added.

For the students involved, the initiative is about both environmental responsibility and demonstrating leadership within education.

A final reflection from Lena: "By reducing carbon emissions from flights, schools can make a positive difference and demonstrate that sustainability is something we all need to take seriously."

The final film, due for release later this year, will be entirely student-led and will explore the environmental impact of aviation, alongside the practical considerations schools face when reducing reliance on flights for trips. We look forward to sharing more about the project as it evolves.