Local students learn how the magic happens at The Making of Harry Potter studios

A group of Year 10 students from Queensbury Academy in Dunstable, part of Anthem Schools Trust, had a magical outing recently to The Making of Harry Potter studios in London.

The students got to leave the classroom and step on to the world famous, authentic sets of one of the most successful film series of all time. The studio’s cross-curricular education programme meets learning objectives from the national curriculum and exam board specifications. It aims to stimulate young minds as they discover the extraordinary artistry, technology and talent that went into creating the Harry Potter film series.

The Design & Technology students took part in an in depth session examining the props of the blockbuster films. They also learned about the process and work that went into making the films and the secrets of production design. They explored questions such as how many people did it take to decorate the Great Hall for the Yule Ball and what animal face is on the top of the golden egg from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire?

After their behind the scenes session they got to tour the studio for the rest of the day seeing iconic sets such as Diagon Alley and the Great Hall, they also got to see the costumes up close and discover how the visual effects team made Harry and his friends fly.

Helen Palmer, Headteacher at Queensbury Academy said:

“I am delighted that our Design & Technology students got to take part in such a memorable learning experience at the Harry Potter studios. I know they all thoroughly enjoyed learning how the films were made behind the scenes and I hope the day inspired them to think about all the different careers they could be pursuing in the future.”