Three primary schools in Newham took part in a survey claiming primary age children are better than their parents at taking video footage.

The study of over 3,000 parents aged between three and 11-years-old, 483 from London, included the families of pupils at Gallions Primary School in Beckton, Manor Primary in Stratford, and New City Primary School in Plaistow.

The survey revealed that 89 per cent of households now have access to gadgets that can record film and just over 32 per cent said their children were better at making, editing, and sharing home movies than them.

More than 81 per cent of parents also said they use websites like Google and Wikipedia to develop their child’s interest and understanding of the wider world.

Conducted by the Open Futures Trust, Gallions, Manor, and New City were chosen to become an ‘Open Futures Centre of Excellence’ alongside 10 others in the UK, taking part in a number of pilot programmes such as filmit which encourages the children to document their class work using film technology.

Lucy O’Rorke, director of the Open Futures Trust, said: “The survey shows just how quickly children are adapting to a digital world, where photos and films can be captured, uploaded and shared in an instant.

“The onus is on parents to keep up so they can nurture their children’s interests and talents and use these tools to develop real life skills and values.

“Learning through digital media is now a vital and mainstream educational technique, which Open Futures supports schools in adopting and embedding.

“It can encompass a much broader curriculum than simply picking up the techinical aspects of using camera equipment.”

Lord Chris Smith, the chair of an independent review of film policy in the UK, is supportive of a more digital approach to learning.

He said: “It deserves every support so that it can grow and develop and provide opportunities for thousands more primary school children up and down the country.”