We Are Year 7 Our School

Each September, half a million children begin the most

important year of school so far.

Year 7.

Boom!

CBBC have rigged this secondary school with loads of cameras...

so you can see exactly what happens...

as they make new friends and get into trouble.

If you wish to find out how strict I can be,

then break the rules I set down.

I'm not spotting make-up there, am I?

But what they learn here

will stay with them for ever.

Hello there, I'm Mr Thoburn and I'm a science teacher here.

'If you've ever wondered what secondary school is like,

'here's your chance to find out. This is Our School.'

HE BELCHES

How can you do that?!

BELL RINGS

THEY LAUGH

-64.

-64.

THEY CHANT: No repeats

or hesitation.

I'll start, OK...

It's July and the end of term.

CHEERING AND WHOOPING

For Year 6, their days at primary school are coming to an end.

What are you looking forward to about secondary school?

No, yeah, the food actually.

It's an exciting time, with all the fun of leavers' proms...

That dries really quickly!

Smile!

From dressing up...

..to driving round in stretch limos.

It's a chance to celebrate with classmates

you've known since Reception.

Whoo!

-ALL:

-Whoo!

SHUTTER CLICKS

And for this lot, a dance-off between the boys and the girls.

MUSIC: "Gangnam Style" by Psi

BELL RINGS

There are also lots of farewell assemblies.

# School bell rings as a new day is coming

# We're wide awake but the teacher's still yawning... #

In ten years' time, I'd like to be

a kind and caring young man with lots of friends.

I think I want to be a microbiologist.

I want to be a vet.

In ten years' time, I want to be in university, doing a maths degree.

A stunt double because I love taking risks.

I love science, so I would like to be a scientist.

In ten years' time, I'd like to be a sports trainer

to help others improve their skills.

I want to be a singer, because I love music.

Without a doubt, I'd like to be a full-on professional motor biker.

In ten years' time, I'd like to be in game design

making really fun games and hope to have a top hit.

The end of Year 6 can also be a sad time,

a chance to look back at the last seven years.

# Another summer time has come

# Those endless days just filled with fun... #

The more I think about it, the more I get upset about leaving.

So it does feel kind of strange,

knowing that you're not going to come here ever again.

# And so it's

# Goodbye, my friend It's not the end... #

Say goodbye to old friends and teachers.

The most thing I'd miss about the school would probably be

the fact that we're all a big family.

And when I move over to secondary,

I won't know anyone except my friends who come from this school.

# When we find being grown up

# Isn't all that it's cracked up to be. #

APPLAUSE

The next few months will mean big changes,

so what's worrying Year 6?

You leave primary school being top dog,

and then you go down to being the youngest in secondary school.

I think I'll feel really scared, quite self-conscious

and worry a bit, cos I won't be with my friends.

After the long summer holidays, these Year 6s will be arriving

in brand-new surroundings.

I hope that my new teachers think that I'm going to work

really hard, cos I will,

and I hope they like me!

Some will be heading here, to Conyers School near Middlesbrough.

You've just walked around there, sorted it out

until you've suddenly come and seen me - as if by magic, it's all fine.

That's Mr Skerry AKA Mr Scary. More about him later.

Conyers is really big, it's really busy and it's where 221

brand-new Year 7s will be spending the next five years of their lives.

It's got 80 classrooms,

two canteens, two gyms, six tennis courts and a football pitch.

I'm worried on the first day that I might go wrong in the school,

cos it's a really big school.

At my old school, I could find my way around it,

on my first day, but at Conyers, I'm just going to be lost.

I have no idea where my, like, form class is.

For now, the school is empty.

Our new Year 7s have got the summer holidays

to hang out and have fun.

Hold that on, please. Come here!

You are a rock star!

Got it.

SHUTTER CLICKS

But while they enjoy themselves,

something unusual is happening back at the school.

We are letting CBBC rig the place with loads of cameras...

..in the classrooms...

..the corridors...

..and the playground.

Next term, they will be recording everything that happens,

so you can see just what goes on when Year 6 becomes Year 7.

It's going to be very strange being filmed, because normally,

it's just you, getting on with

your school day with your friends. But with the cameras,

it could mean that the entire country could be watching you.

I'll have to stay on top when I'm getting filmed

because I can't do anything wrong,

because it'll be embarrassing.

I don't want the cameras seeing me eating

because I'm a very messy eater.

We'll be getting to know Year 7 pretty well,

watching as they make lots of new friends.

I hope that my new classmates will see me

as a funny person who wants to make new friends.

It would be important to make friends,

so you've got someone to back you up when times get hard.

Don't laugh, but I've kind of forgot how to make friends!

You just go up to someone and you just say,

"Hi, my name is Delight, nice to meet you."

So, let's meet some of our new Year 7s.

This is Libby.

She was one of the stars of her end of Year 6 talent show.

It's me, Louis Spence!

Everything's fabulous in Louis Spence's world

because I can do anything you ask me to do.

You know, for example, from Pineapple Dance Studios. Whoo!

At primary school, she had lots of friends.

Could I just have a cookies-and-cream

in a single chocolate cone as well, please?

What's worrying her is that none of her old friends will be in her

new tutor group.

It's quite scary and quite worrying because they might...

they might leave you out,

but I think anybody would worry about

if you're leaving your friends behind.

With CBBC cameras everywhere,

we'll see just how Libby gets on as she starts Year 7.

SHE SNIFFLES

I've only just made friends with these girls.

And they're lovely girls in our class.

Are we going to be confident and go in?

Yeah, have my blotches gone?

You have no blotches on that lovely face at all.

We'll catch all the ups and downs of her first few weeks.

-Oh, no, I can't.

-Swap your work with somebody.

Who do you like in the class?

To fit in, it's quite important, cos you've got to make new friends.

Do you want my number?

My sandwiches got squished.

Eugh, what sandwich - is that banana?

Will she find the new friends she's looking for?

The best thing that could happen to me at Conyers would be more friends.

Some will be coming into Year 7 with their friends from primary.

Take Harry and Owen.

We've been friends since Year 1

in our primary school, where...

Where I couldn't fasten my shoe and he came to help me.

Doing things like tying his shoelaces

are harder for Harry than for some.

I have cerebral palsy

that affects me walking and talking.

It hasn't affected their friendship,

but will things change in Year 7?

I think my life will change dramatically because I'll get

to meet new people, see what they're like and learn a lot more.

You get to meet other people.

Those CBBC cameras will let us

see what changing schools means for Harry and Owen.

Just stick with me.

Every time, we're getting steak pie when it's on.

Oi!

Well, I reckon that we should try and make some more friends.

Until we get there, it's going to be like...what?

It's like 50-50, are they going to be...? Are they going to be like,

"Well, you two are best friends,"

or is it going to be like, "You two are best friends -

"stop being best friends cos it's just spoiling our friendship"?

We'll find out what happens when they meet new classmate Iman.

Konnichiwa!

Konnichiwa!

Will their double act become a triple whammy?

THEY GIGGLE

We'll also get to know some of the teachers.

Led by the head, Mrs Spellman.

She's in training, getting ready to welcome a brand-new set of Year 7s.

Sometimes, you'll find that very quiet, unassuming children

in primary school absolutely blossom

and think, "Actually, I don't want to be that person any more.

"I actually want to get involved

"and I didn't ever do that at primary school and nobody expected me to."

So sometimes the very quiet personalities

are actually those who shine.

It is the chance to make a fresh start.

With cameras all over the school,

even our busy headteacher can't hide.

How is everyone?

Everyone got their sweatshirts?

Just take them off because it's warm, that's fine.

It's lovely to see all these student leader badges, absolutely lovely.

Then, there is the assistant head, Mr Scary... Er, Skerry.

I can't imagine how he got that nickname, "Mr Scary".

But maybe our cameras will show why.

Where's your jumper? Sorry? Where's your bag?

The younger ones will always say Mr Scary

because that's what that's what they see me as doing...

-Is our skirt long enough?

-Sorry.

..shouting at people...

How do you test if it's long enough?

..and telling them to sort their uniform out.

Hands down by your side.

As long as it's lower than your fingertips, that's fine.

There are lots of new teachers to meet and one thing that's

bothering our Year 6s is how strict they're going to be.

I've seen the head teacher and the deputy head teacher

and they look quite nice.

I know that they will be strict if something bad happens

because all secondary school teachers have strict inside them.

My worst nightmare would be having really strict teachers.

I'm going to try to be on my best behaviour...

until I know what they're like.

If they're a nice teacher, then I'll act up a bit.

If they're like not a nice teacher, I'm staying well-behaved.

For some Year 6s, secondary school is a chance to put

primary school problems behind them and make a fresh start...like Ewan.

Ewan was often in trouble at primary school.

When I was getting frustrated at school, I used to feel like

I wanted to get out cos I felt like I was... I felt like I was

trapped and when I walked out of school I felt loads better.

Will starting Year 7 be a chance for him to change his ways?

It's really important for me to make new friends

cos then they don't know what I was like in primary.

CBBC cameras will capture the action

when Ewan lands in hot water in his first few weeks.

Wait, where do you think you're going?

When I say we do not talk, what don't we do?

-Don't talk.

-Don't talk.

I'll give the school a try, but if it...

Like, I'm not too sure how it's going to work out.

-You are sorry, aren't you?

-Yeah.

I don't want to see you back up here again. OK?

Will Ewan find something to help him stay in school?

Good, jog up to there, Ewan. Good, Ewan, you start now.

Jog, forward, pass. Good, Ewan, that's lovely.

Ewan will be joined in Year 7 by motorbike-mad Kyran.

Kyran has loads of energy.

Whether it's putting the finishing touches

to his cardboard motorbike...

..or getting stuck into his leavers' assembly.

It's Tuesday, that means it's our turn in the goals today!

But Year 7 is just a summer holiday away.

I would prefer playing out or riding my bike

or going on my motorbike than school.

Will Kyran be able to concentrate

when he gets to secondary school?

Leprechaun!

HE GROWLS

Whoo-whoo!

-Right, can you two settle down, please?

-OK!

-I can't stand quietness.

-I love it, so let's be quiet.

When I get told off, it's either for whispering,

like, chatting

while the teacher's talking,

or sometimes I daydream...

MOTORBIKE ENGINE ROARS

..about motorbikes.

We'll be watching as Kyran faces up to the challenges

of starting Year 7.

I should be a student leader because I really

wasn't part of anything at primary.

Er, I'm good at listening to people's ideas,

and I'm responsible, and I can...

I can follow the instructions that a teacher gives me.

Is that everything? OK, brilliant. Well done, Kyran.

-Yo!

-Jolly good show!

KYRAN CACKLES

It's not just the Year 7s who will be new to the school.

There are some fresh faces amongst the teachers as well.

We'll meet Miss Gibbons.

We're all in the same position, which is brilliant.

They're new, I'm new. So, yeah, I think we're all in it together now.

Out of school, Miss Gibbons is a talented gymnast,

but will she be able to keep her balance in the classroom?

From September, she's going to be the form tutor for 7CG...

..and we'll be able to watch them all get to know each other.

KIDS SHOUT OVER EACH OTHER

Why do you all have to shout at me?

Right, then, let's be quiet, please!

Erm!

As a brand-new teacher and they're brand-new students...

So, yeah, it'll be good to go right through school with them.

Brilliant, OK, Year 7, have a lovely day. Work hard, make me proud.

Then there's Mr Glendenning.

He's new as well.

This is my first real teaching experience.

I'm sure I'm sharing the same sort of emotions

and feelings as all of the new Year 7s -

a bit of excitement, a bit of nervousness,

probably a lot of sleepless nights.

As a volunteer lifeboat crewman, he's used to a bit of drama.

Man overboard!

Ho-ho-ho!

So looking after form 7AG should be

plain sailing, right?

Just like all the new children coming into class, the Year 7s,

they've got themselves nice new smart uniforms like myself.

Bought a new shirt, a new tie, new suit, new pair of shoes.

Kitted out with a brand-new pencil case as well,

always got to be prepared.

Those CBBC cameras will capture his first few weeks

with his new tutor group.

I want you to think about ten years in the future.

I want you to think about where you're going to be

and I don't mean which country or which city.

I want you to think about what your dreams and aspirations are.

It's the job of Mr Glendenning and Miss Gibbons to make sure

our new Year 7s feel welcome and happy - oh, and don't get lost.

We're going to line up and follow me all this way, OK?

So they can get on with the important business

of learning all that new stuff.

I think secondary school is going to be nerve-racking

but also very fun. And it will hold a lot of new opportunities,

but will be very different to my primary school.

I'm going to be with totally new people

and a different environment with different teachers

and different subjects and things to learn,

so that's going to be a very big change in my life.

As well as new friends and teachers, Year 7 means new experiences.

I'm quite excited because there's new things to do.

This is Ben.

He's looking forward to secondary school.

-UNCERTAINLY:

-I think.

I'm a very nervous person, but I like to try lots of

things to see if I can stop being a nervous person.

Ben lives with his parents and younger brother and sister.

He's got some high hopes for the future.

I've always wanted to be a pilot...

..but then I'd have to get round my fear of heights.

What better place than Year 7 to try some new experiences?

My hands are high, my feet are low and this is how I bungalow!

LAUGHTER

-ALL:

-His hands are high, his feet are low

and this is how he bungalows!

Will music be where Ben finds himself?

I think I'll be good at a trumpet or a saxophone

cos I can hold my breath for quite a long time,

and I can just talk for ages.

Give me two or three short notes on that note.

I'm quite nervous about going, but if anything, I'm excited.

All those CBBC cameras will even catch him having lunch.

Look, I can cut it. I can cut it!

Needn't have worried about your table manners, Ben.

So will he find something that really hits the spot?

Some just can't wait to move from Year 6 to Year 7

and really spread their wings.

# Hello, world I'm a wild girl

# I'm your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb... #

Delight came to this country from Zimbabwe five years ago.

Zimbabwe is where I was born.

I don't think anyone can really ever forget where they're from.

I like this one.

Yeah, this is when I graduated from nursery, isn't it?

It's what made me me.

I think that without being from Zimbabwe,

I wouldn't appreciate everything that I have.

We'll see Delight as she joins Year 7 and tries to

make her mum proud.

I'm going to try as hard as I can

so I can achieve what I want, cos my mum works so hard to get me here.

I should just... The best way I could repay her

is by doing my very best.

# Listen to the voice I hear.... #

When I came to this country, I was pretty shy.

But then after a while, when I knew what to say and I knew

I'd stand up for myself, I kind of grew a lot more confident.

# Je m'appelle, je m'appelle Delight, monsieur, what's on?!

# J'ai onze ans, j'ai onze ans

# Salut, salut! #

Education is important because you need it for your life.

You need to know certain stuff if you want to get somewhere.

So you've met a few of our new Year 7s,

but that's just the beginning.

Over the next few weeks we'll be giving you

an access-all-areas pass to see what really goes on in our school.

Ah, yes, "our school", you see,

I work here too.

I'm Mr Thoburn.

So the gas goes on and you quickly introduce it, like that.

Don't spend all day with your hand in the flame,

and certainly, right, don't stand over it to light it!

Don't go, "Oh, what's that?" Then light it there.

LAUGHTER

'I'm looking forward to sharing in some of that Year 7 excitement.'

You can start. Remember, I want everybody to have a go

at lighting them, turning them up, switching them off.

PUPIL GASPS

-He's the funniest Geordie ever.

-He's the best Geordie ever!

So here we are.

It may be quiet and empty now,

but tomorrow morning the bell will ring

to kick off a new term and those

221 Year 7 students will start their new lives at secondary school.

There's no going back - Year 7 starts tomorrow.

You going to wear that skirt, are you?

-Yeah?

-How weird are these?

I'll look like a right numpty in red socks.

LAUGHING: Yeah, but everybody will have them on.

Is it starting to hit home that you're going to big school?

-I don't really want to go.

-Aww, you have to, though.

-Do you want to go back to your other school?

-Yeah.

-Do you?!

It's just a bit...a bit of a change, isn't it, really?

But you'll be absolutely fine.

I feel a bit better now I've got everything put away...

..but I'm still quite nervous for tomorrow. I'm nervous about THIS.

I mean, I can barely find my way around a normal calculator,

never mind a scientific calculator.

Come on, then, let's have a look.

-Like it?

-Wow.

-Oh, that looks good.

That's very good. Turn around.

-Good, very nice. Excited?

-Yep.

Good, excellent.

It feels like I'm all ready for big school

and it makes me feel I've been welcomed to Conyers already.

I really do hope that my mum won't embarrass me when I get

to the school tomorrow because she is one for embarrassing you.

As soon as I get out the car she'll probably try to hug me or kiss me.

Right...light off and lots and lots of nice dreams, OK?

OK, night-night.

Aww, sweet dreams.

Next time on Our School...

we'll meet science guru Adam...

This has been the best lesson ever. Yay!

..Libby gets emotional...

-I didn't like it.

-You didn't like it?

..and, oh, dear, Alex gets himself into trouble.

-Any idea what I want to speak to you about?

-Is it good or bad?

-Bad.

And I'm going to ask you some questions about girls.

Ohh... Boring!

THEY LAUGH BREATHLESSLY

For some reason my ears are just, like, really floppy.

-Not as much as this.

-You can't do that, can you?

-No, actually bend it round each other and go...

-Ugh, yeah!

One, two, three - go! No, no, I'll count to four, remember.

-BOTH:

-Oh, yeah!