Members Spotlight: London Screen Academy

We sat down with Sam Summerson, Principal of the London Screen Academy, to learn about the secrets of their incredible creative education model, the role of industry giants in supporting tomorrow’s talent, and how their student activation groups are making the school a better place.

 

Who are you and what do you do?

We are London Screen Academy (LSA), a film and TV sixth form for 16–19 year olds. Our mission is to diversify the screen industries by ensuring that every young person, regardless of their background, has the access and opportunity to come to LSA and ultimately, create stories that change the world.

Founded by some of the UK’s leading film and television producers, LSA offers a unique education that blends creative, technical and professional skills in a real-world environment. Students learn every aspect of screen storytelling, from directing and cinematography to production management and post-production, while developing the behaviours and industry understanding that prepare them for work or higher study in the creative sector.

 

What are you currently working on?

We’re continuing to evolve our curriculum to stay at the cutting edge of what the film and TV industries need. Our focus is on ensuring students graduate with the skills and mindset that make them ready to contribute to real productions from day one.

This year, we are deepening our industry partnerships, expanding project-based learning opportunities, and embedding emerging technologies such as AI and immersive storytelling into our teaching. We’re also developing new ways to connect our alumni network back into the school, creating a cycle where former students return to mentor, collaborate and inspire the next generation of screen creatives.

 

What has been your organisation’s proudest achievement?

Our alumni destinations are a huge source of pride. Many of our graduates have gone on to work in film, television, and creative agencies, while others have gained places at prestigious universities and film schools. These success stories are testament not only to the students’ talent and commitment, but also to the effectiveness of a curriculum built around industry engagement and employability.

We’re also proud of our outcomes: our students consistently achieve some of the best qualification results in the country and show outstanding progression into industry or higher education. But perhaps what we’re most proud of is the community we’ve built, one that celebrates creativity, inclusion, and collaboration every single day.

 

How is your organisation working to champion EDI within your sector?

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is embedded within LSA’s mission and day-to-day activities. Our approaches to curriculum, extra-curricular, pastoral care and outreach are deeply rooted in inclusive practice. Staff meet weekly to discuss EDI topics, and we have five student activation groups: Able, Eco-Changemakers, Ethnicity Inclusion Committee, Pride and Gender Equality Group, all working to make the school a better place.

Our Changemakers project (for students in the first year) encourages all students to use their voice and stories to make positive change.

We’re also proud that our partnerships reflect our EDI mission. We work with production companies, studios and organisations who share our values, ensuring that diversity isn’t just something we talk about, it’s something our students experience through real opportunities and representation.

 

What are three things you’re loving in your sector right now?

1. The increasing appetite for authentic, diverse storytelling that reflects the world we actually live in.
2. The growth of AI, and new technologies that open up exciting possibilities for creativity.
3. Collaboration is becoming more valued, across roles, disciplines and even industries, making film and TV more accessible and dynamic than ever before.

 

And three things you’re not loving so much in your sector?

1. Whilst the Curriculum and Assessment Review and the Post-16 Education and Skills white paper have a number of positives for creative – the proposed changes to qualifications I think are quite an existential threat both to our model, but also for the tens of thousands of students that will be affected that risk narrowing access to creative education at post-16 level.
2. The continuing challenge of underrepresentation and lack of access at entry-level roles, particularly for young people without existing networks.
3. The uncertainty of funding across the creative industries, which often makes it harder for schools, training providers and production companies to plan long-term.

 

Who would be your dream collaborator/collaboration?

In many ways, we’re already working with our dream collaborators. Partners such as Universal, Disney, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sky, Youtube, Warner Bros. and many more play an active role in our students’ learning, offering mentoring, masterclasses, work experience and live briefs that mirror the realities of the screen industries.

Looking ahead, we’re particularly interested in collaborating with organisations that are true EDI champions, partners who share our commitment to widening access, creating inclusive pathways, and ensuring that the screen industries represent the full diversity of the UK.

We believe the most powerful collaborations are those that combine creative excellence with social purpose, helping to build a more representative and resilient industry for the future.

 

What does creativity mean to you?

Creativity at LSA is about storytelling, collaboration and courage. It’s the ability to see the world differently and to express that vision in ways that move, challenge and connect people.

For our students, creativity is also about learning how to make ideas real, how to take a spark of imagination and turn it into something tangible, whether that’s a short film, a documentary, or a campaign for change. Creativity is what drives everything we do; it’s both a mindset and a method.

 

What’s next for your organisation?

We’re continuing to develop more relationships with the industry, grow our curriculum to remain the most industry-relevant it can be, and explore opportunities to expand our offer in the future.

We also hope to continue strengthening our links with other creative organisations, both within London and nationally, to share knowledge and increase access to creative pathways for young people.

Alongside this, we’re currently working out how to respond to the consultation around the Post-16 Education and Skills white paper. If the proposed changes go ahead as planned, they would have a significant impact on how we operate as a school. We’re therefore keen to share our views on what world-class creative education looks like, and how more of it can be enabled, rather than less.

Our long-term goal is to ensure that LSA remains a place where passion, professionalism and inclusivity meet, and where every student feels they can see a future for themselves in the screen industries.

 

What do you think needs to change in the UK’s Cultural and Creative Industries?

Funding remains one of the biggest challenges, creative education and training need sustained investment to meet the demand for skilled workers in the screen industries.

There also needs to be a stronger focus on skills development, ensuring that training routes align with what employers actually need. And finally, a continued focus on diversity, it can’t just be a “trending” topic. It must be a permanent, measurable commitment across every level of the industry, from classroom to crew to boardroom.