What is the legal position of a teacher who wants to show pupils a film or video at a higher category than is suitable for their age, without first obtaining parental permission?
The BBFC's cinema ratings legally apply only to licensed cinemas, so it is not illegal for schools to show BBFC-rated videos to its pupils. Merely showing an age restricted tape to underaged persons - or allowing them to see one - is not in itself an offence. We would however strongly discourage such a practice unless (a), the children in question are only a year or so below the age stated on the certificate, and (b), there is some kind of serious educational purpose to showing the recording (eg showing a '15' rated Macbeth to 14 year old GCSE English students). Even in those cases, we always recommend that the school should obtain permission from parents or guardians.

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