A BRADFORD district nursery school welcomed a film crew from the USA as it took part in a global documentary.
Hirst Wood Nursery School and Children’s Centre in Saltaire has been used as a filming site for the forthcoming documentary ‘Play Is The Way’.
It is a film that aims to showcase the importance of play-based learning in early childhood development.
A crew spent the day filming children at the Clarence Road site during their play sessions.
Hirst Wood is one of only two UK schools to feature in the production, which has been filmed in 15 locations across the world since 2017 including South Korea, New York, Japan, Amsterdam and San Francisco. The 100-minute-long documentary is set to be released at the end of this year.
It is the brainchild of David Krishock, the co-founder of the Bright Day Foundation.
He originally worked on a book about the project, which developed into a documentary that is being directed and edited by his son, Bennett Krishock and his Partners in Cinema production company, based in Austin, Texas.
David’s company, based in Los Angeles, creates and distributes learning tools and toys that aim to transform children’s lives through play.
Jayne Taylor, Hirst Wood Nursery School’s headteacher, said it was a great experience for her staff and children to have the crew film them on Tuesday (May 16).
Additional filming, including interviews with staff members, took place on Monday.
She said: “It’s amazing. Hirst Wood has always been a special place and for them to show value and knowledge of what we are doing is amazing.
“We are a community of learners. It is known as the sunshine school due to its commitment to outside learning.”
Hirst Wood opened in 1931 and is one of seven nursery schools in the Bradford district.
David said he was impressed with the open play provision offered at Hirst Wood.
He added: “I identified the story and the importance of play and play-based learning.
“It takes years to find the right places (to film) and we have found the right places.
“This is what play could be like and should be like for children. The film says we have to raise the level of awareness in the level of play.
“There is a crisis of play, children are exposed to less play today than they have ever been, say doctors.
“It started off as a book 20 years ago. Then we decided to make a documentary film, which started in 2017 and it has been in production since then.”
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