Today's most viewed
LISTEN HERE
 Jessica Goyder is the latest musician to put her singles on our site. Listen here
| THE INSIDER
 Get the lowdown inside the corridors of power in Oxfordshire here.
| SEND AN OBITUARY
Send us a tribute to someone who has passed away
| ON YER BIKE
 Get the view from the gutter with cycling group Cyclox in Oxfordshire
|
|
|
|
Special school caught on camera
 |
| Mulberry Bush School |
TV viewers will gain a rare insight into the lives of five children at an Oxfordshire special school when an award-winning documentary is screened tonight.
The film, Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go, followed the children - who have suffered physical, emotional or sexual abuse during their formative years - for 12 months at the Mulberry Bush School, near Standlake.
For 60 years, the school has provided specialist therapeutic care and education to some of the most damaged and challenging children in the country.
Many of the pupils who start school there are chaotic, aggressive and violent and are unmanageable at home and school, so the Mulberry Bush works to transform their lives during its three-year programme.
John Diamond, the school's chief executive, admits the school "took a risk" with the filming process.
Between September 2006 and April last year, award-winning film-maker Kim Longinotto and sound recordist Mary Milton were given access.
Mr Diamond said: "At first staff found being observed by the camera intrusive and exposing.
"After some initial excitement, the children seemed to accept Kim and Mary's presence to the point where they became almost invisible.
 |
| Mulberry Bush School |
"The closeness and intimacy of the relationships caught on camera, without interrupting those interactions, is testimony to the process.
"As a school we took a risk with the process. We did not have any final control or influence over the editing or the content of the film."
The film won the Brit Doc Best British Film 2007 award as well as the Joris Ivens Grand Jury Best Film Award 2007.
The school, which caters for five to 12-year-olds takes day pupils as well as boarders. It was deemed "outstanding" by inspectors after Ofsted inspections this year and last year.
The film is due to be shown on BBC Four at 10pm tonight.
9:04pm Wednesday 21st May 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: Mr Ison, England on 8:10pm Thu 22 May 08
BBC viewers dont have a clue.
BBC viewers dont have a clue.
Posted by: Mr Ison, England on 8:25pm Thu 22 May 08
My insider information deleted by an ignoramus reporter.
Wants to work for the BBC when she grows up i'll wager.
My insider information deleted by an ignoramus reporter.
Wants to work for the BBC when she grows up i'll wager.
Posted by: Mr Ison, England on 8:54pm Thu 22 May 08
The reporter did not know that hops grew wild there so the post was deleted.
She did not know what the premises looked like before the addition of those grotesque charicature buildings so the post was deleted.
She did not know the head who beat the pupils when no one was looking described how he wanted a ring shaped building but settled for a square,so the post was deleted.
She does not know of children traumatised by threats of Childrens home by social workers and so the post was deleted.
She does not know that academic schooling was and perhaps is still not a top priority.
In the rush to paint it rosy apparently even the goat,Jason,was lost.
To what end i ask.
The reporter did not know that hops grew wild there so the post was deleted.
She did not know what the premises looked like before the addition of those grotesque charicature buildings so the post was deleted.
She did not know the head who beat the pupils when no one was looking described how he wanted a ring shaped building but settled for a square,so the post was deleted.
She does not know of children traumatised by threats of Childrens home by social workers and so the post was deleted.
She does not know that academic schooling was and perhaps is still not a top priority.
In the rush to paint it rosy apparently even the goat,Jason,was lost.
To what end i ask.
Posted by: Mr Ison, England on 9:09pm Thu 22 May 08
If she can tell us what happened after the great aphid invasion i will eat my hat.
If she can tell us what happened after the great aphid invasion i will eat my hat.
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
