How do you capture the spirit of a school in 90 seconds?

That was the challenge at the heart of JAGS – The Making of Us, our new school film. Capturing the essence of James Allen’s Girls’ School meant putting students at the centre of the story and working alongside a female-led production team that shared our ambition to create something authentic, inspiring and unmistakably JAGS.

If you would like to see the full film, please scroll to the bottom of this page.

More than simply showcasing our campus and facilities, the film set out to reflect what makes JAGS such a distinctive place to learn: a community where opportunity, ambition and individuality are celebrated, and where every student is encouraged to forge her own path.

From classrooms and laboratories to sports pitches, performance spaces and co-curricular clubs, the film highlights the breadth of experiences available to JAGS students. Just as importantly, it shines a light on the diversity of our community and the confidence that comes from an environment where girls are empowered to lead, challenge expectations and embrace new opportunities.

Students played a central role throughout the filming process. Working alongside Bridget Productions, they helped bring the story of JAGS to life while gaining a fascinating insight into the world of film production. The team’s warm, collaborative approach quickly put students at ease, creating an atmosphere that was both professional and enjoyable. As an all-girls school, it was particularly inspiring for students to see so many talented women leading and shaping the production, offering a powerful example of female leadership within the creative industries.

Nicole, CEO and Founder of Bridget Productions, said: “Our experience with JAGS and their students was incredibly special. Not only were the girls fantastic, but it meant so much to be able to show them real representation of women in technical roles, something we didn’t have growing up. Hopefully, we’ve inspired some future crew!”

Sixth Former Freya, who played a leading role in the film, reflected on the “joy and slight chaos” of the filming process, as well as the pride she felt seeing the finished result.

“As an A-level Drama student, making the film was a great opportunity to gain insight into the industry as I am more used to doing stage performances as opposed to film and adverts. This was a very valuable experience as I want to pursue acting after university so I enjoyed the opportunity to dip my toe into what that might be like.”

Speaking on the finished film, she added: “It’s such a hard task bringing the essence of a school and the students in a school to life and I think having it represented via the students as opposed to told by a teacher was a wonderful idea. I don’t think I fully got how successful this was until I watched the whole film. When I saw it all together, you could see the passion for life and learning that JAGS students have.”

Year 6 pupil Emilie, who also featured in the film, thoroughly enjoyed being part of the production.

“I loved the lights, camera, action! It was much more fun than I thought it would be and everyone was so nice,” she said. Seeing the finished film for the first time, she felt “so happy and proud” and said it had even given her “a taste for acting”.

Most importantly, Emilie believes the film captures the essence of JAGS itself: “JAGS is fun. JAGS is busy. It really gives the nice feeling you get from being at JAGS.”

The response from students, staff, parents and alumnae has been overwhelmingly positive, with many commenting on the film’s energy, warmth and authenticity.

Head Alex Hutchinson said: “Our students are at the heart of everything we do at JAGS, and this film and its production were no exception. The finished film captures not only the breadth of opportunities available at JAGS, but also the warmth, confidence and sense of purpose that make this such a special community. We couldn’t be prouder of everyone involved.”