The action and excitement of Hollywood has arrived at Fullerton House School with the opening of its very own cinema.

Seating twelve, the room has been kitted out with the latest projection equipment that will beam all the top DVD films onto a 6ft by 4ft screen. Students will be able to sit back and relax, enjoying blockbusters of their choice in the comfort of their very own private viewing area.

“Our students will gain the experience of being in a cinema, but in small numbers, so that they can get used to the idea,” said Fullerton head David O’Connor.

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“We hope that they will eventually go to a ‘normal’ cinema. But for our students, dealing with new things, new people and new places can be too much all at once. If we can mirror the environment, we can prepare them for accessing facilities in the community.”

Fullerton already runs a DVD club, which is active through the winter. The new cinema facility is an extension of that but will also give the residents vital life skills.

It is expected that the cinema club will open for the students twice a week, and it may also be used for staff training. David got the idea from a similar scheme at The Forum School where students practise going to the dentist or using a shoe shop in preparation for doing the same things in the community.