Pupils at Moulsecoomb Primary School will be taken on a country-hopping tour from Brighton to Brazil this summer in what will be the UKs first ever virtual reality lesson outside of the classroom.

In a bid to expose pupils to places they wouldn't be able to see in a typical school day, digital agency Propellernet and virtual reality experts yellowBird have partnered to create a geography lesson like no other for the twenty five Year One students, aged between 5 and 6 years old.

The initiative combines cutting edge technology with nature to bring the curriculum to life in an interactive way and inspire the schoolchildren to expand their own horizons, beginning with a trip to the beach that took place last Friday on 17th June 2016.  The date also marks Empty Classroom Day[i] which joins schools from across the world to celebrate and inspire learning and play outside of the classroom.

The number of children and young people in Brighton and Hove is predicted to reach 62,000 by 2021[ii] but one in three children currently live in poverty[iii].  Nikki Gatenby, MD of Brighton-based Propellernet, explains how Propellernet's ethos to 'make life better' encouraged her to kick start the partnership with yellowBird and Moulsecoomb Primary School:

“We have a high rate of children in need in Brighton, yet it is home to some really inspiring people in the digital industry with access to fantastic resources.

“We also have anecdotal evidence[iv] that there are many children in the city who have never been taken to the seaside despite living moments from the beach – we want to change that and engage children in this magical city, but also broaden their horizons and take a journey further afield. Partnering with yellowBird gives us a real opportunity to both excite and educate the schoolchildren of Moulsecoomb in what will be a first for this country.”

As well as seeing Brighton's own horizon from the beach, the schoolchildren will be transported on a virtual reality journey across five countries using headsets installed with video footage that spans 360 degrees.

Highlights will include flying over Mont Blanc, a rooftop view of the Parisian skyline, a nose to nose encounter with cows in a Dutch meadow, a desert island in Southeast Asia and the final stop is Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, a country which the children are currently studying in preparation for this summer's Olympic Games.

Working with companies such as IKEA, Topman, Google and Visa, it's not the first time yellowBird has used virtual reality to improve lives. Past initiatives in the Netherlands have included transporting a young burns patient back to school from his hospital bed and working with De Meander elementary schoolchildren to create their own Virtual Reality history lesson of the Dutch Stone Age.

To learn more about Propellernet's work please visit: http://www.propellernet.co.uk/our-blog/

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Propellernet is a digital agency that specialises in search marketing, to connect brands to their customers. Founded over 12 years ago, and currently employing 48 employees, we've built up a reputation for delivering sustainable search and business success for clients in lots of different sectors including travel, finance and retail. More here: http://www.propellernet.co.uk/

yellowBird is the world's first professional 360 degree video company offering surround video solutions that enrich live events and experiences to offer viewers the next level in immersive entertainment. More here: http://yellowbirdsdonthavewingsbuttheyflytomakeyouexperiencea3dreality.com/

Moulsecoomb Primary School is a primary school and nursery to 330 children. Located in east Brighton, it is set in multi-award winning grounds that include orchards, ponds, a bike track and houses from different periods of history. More here: http://www.moulsecoomb.brighton-hove.sch.uk/

Media enquiries:

For further information please contact:

• Hannah Ashley HannahA@propellernet.co.uk 01273 760983
• Megan Mepham Megan@propellernet.co.uk 01273760976

[i] For more information on Empty Classroom Day visit: https://emptyclassroomday.org.uk/

[ii] For more statistics on children and young people in Brighton & Hove visit: https://www.bhconnected.org.uk/sites/bhconnected/files/City%20Snapshot%20Report%20of%20Statistics%202014%202.pdf

[iii] For more statistics on the health of the people of Brighton & Hove visit: http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/health/public-health-brighton-hove/annual-report-director-public-health-2014-15

 [iii] 'Deprived children in Brighton who have never been to the beach': http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9787829.Deprived_children_in_Brighton_who_have_never_been_to_the_beach/