Updates

A ‘fly by’ showreel of our 2022 Creative Arts exhibition - a range of mixed media creative works from fashion design, fine art, production makeup, photography, graphics and sculpture.

ESA students got to meet Gareth Ellis-Unwin this week. Gareth was awarded an Oscar for producing The King’s Speech in 2010. Students went to meet him at Elstree Studios as part of the launch of the new Centre of Screen Excellence at ESA from September 2021. Elstree Studios, ScreenSkills, the BFI and the NFTS are teaming up with us to provide these hands on traineeships in the film and TV industry for 18 and 19 year olds. Read more HERE.

The UK’s second Centre of Screen Excellence will be launched in Elstree & Borehamwood, marking another major milestone in the drive to offer relevant opportunities and training to young people who are looking for careers in film and high-end TV.

The industry-led skills body ScreenSkills, Elstree Screen Arts Academy, Elstree Film Studios and the National Film and Television School have joined forces to create the Centre of Screen Excellence: Elstree at ESA, the specialist screen arts training academy built on the former site of MGM British Studios. This new Centre of Screen Excellence will offer creative and technical traineeships for 18 and 19 year-olds in areas of skills need.

Yeah… Our new look campus is starting to look FRESH. Thanks for bearing with us during the construction works. We’ve got new front and rear delivery entrances. New roof sign and our new sport pitch. All set off nicely by some new spring planting. And we ain’t stopping! We have plans for an urban recycled garden - our very own back lot - coming this Autumn. We also have some new internal refurbishments starting over the summer.

Nicely done to our Scholar’s Programme Graduates. Over the last 6 months, a number if ESA students from across our key stage 4 have been working with post graduates from prestigious universities to develop a study into media effects and influence on audiences. They graduated this week with a special ‘virtual’ presentation at Cambridge University. ESA brains on fire! Nicely done.

At ESA this year, we are pioneering a new approach to our learning together. Inspired by the work of Bill Lucas and Guy Claxton, we are implementing a ‘split screen’ curriculum where we focus even more on the person we want to become as well as the outcomes we want to achieve. This is more important than ever in these ‘unprecedented’ times. This year (summer 2020), the skewed dependancy on one particular definition of success was proved madness and folly.

Many highly skilled and specialist technicians are having to look elsewhere to earn a living in the short-term. But some many of the skills that are taught and learnt throughout your time at ESA are transferable to so many different professions...but don’t give up, we will get back to some form of normality; you will be able to fulfil your dreams!

Connections are vital to our happiness. The beauty and the curse of social media is that it is possible to connect so quickly and easily with anyone. I love to connect, both online and in person, but I think it is good to take a moment every now and then and think about the validity of these relationships and the way in which you connect with others.

A successful team is one where everyone’s unique skills and strengths help the team achieve a shared goal in the most effective way.

This week's assembly focuses on Pride Month. Miss Thomas and Miss Atkinson talk about the history of the Pride movement, LGBTQ+ rights, equality and how this relates to the Black Lives Matter movement and LGBTQ+ BAME people. You can watch the video and check out the resources below.

Before you can choose the right career, you must learn about yourself. Your values, interests, soft skills, and aptitudes, in combination with your personality type, make some occupations a good fit for you and others completely inappropriate.