New Horizons Our School

SCHOOL BELL RINGS

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 forever.

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

Conyers School in Stockton-on-Tees,

where 221 brand-new Year 7s

will be spending the next five years of their lives.

This time we're following...

..on their first few days at secondary school.

Well, I'm really looking forward to going to secondary school.

There's that next step up, with all the challenges

that's going to come in Conyers.

It was good being in Year 6 because you were at the top of the school

and everyone looked up to you.

But now, when we go into Year 7, we're going to be at the bottom,

and we have to start again.

My worst nightmare to go at Conyers would be

not having any friends.

Oh, I might have it later.

Not feeling like eating?

Mwah!

Time for Adam, Alex and Libby

to take their very first steps into Year 7.

First, there's a welcome assembly...

OK, can we just follow in nice and steadily, please.

..given by Assistant Head, Mr Skerry.

-Good morning, Year 7.

-ALL: Good morning.

OK, we've deliberately organised today

so that it feels as normal as an everyday at Conyers.

The idea is to get you into our Conyers life as quickly as possible.

Everyone's got a little butterfly in their stomach,

but you should also feel happy about where you are.

After assembly, the new Year 7s are all divided into their tutor groups

where they'll do the register and meet their classmates.

Alex is in form 7CG with Miss Gibbons.

OK, and my surname is Gibbons, OK?

G-I-double-B-O-N-S, OK?

Like a monkey, if any of you ever forget.

Adam and Libby are both in 7AG with Mr Glendenning.

Good morning, 7AG! Welcome to Conyers.

As most of you will now know,

I'm going to be your form tutor for the next possible seven years.

Isn't that exciting? Who's nervous? Hands up.

Just call me "Mr Glendenning", or "Sir".

Libby's anxious because none of her friends from primary school

are in her tutor group.

She's spent her summer holidays worrying about it.

When I first walk into my tutor group,

I'm going to be by myself, I won't be with my friends.

I think anybody would worry about if you're leaving your friends behind,

and then, you're moving into a different class.

Right.

OK, I'm going to do the reg. When I do the reg...

-THEY LAUGH

-When I do the reg... That's how you say it. I'm down with the kids.

When I do the register,

I'd like everybody to be silent and just quickly say

"yes, sir" or "yes" or "morning".

-Sam.

-Yes, sir.

-Jess.

-Morning, sir

-Harry.

-Yes, sir.

-Libby.

-Here.

My name? Can somebody remind me? I've got a terrible memory.

Mr Glendenning.

Mr Glendenning, thank you.

It is a big deal. It'll be a big change going from primary school,

where they're all together.

I can see a lot of them are still quite nervous at this point,

but that's to be expected. It's their first week.

Registration done,

it's time for our Year 7s to start lessons.

First lesson of the day for Alex is Geography.

For the purpose of this, we're looking for effective teamwork.

The class are being split into teams

to survey the school and draw up a map.

It should help them find their way around.

With 80 classrooms,

dozens of staff and support offices,

two canteens, two gyms, six tennis courts

and a football pitch, it's easy to get lost when you're new here.

I'm only giving you 40 minutes

to go and get the information and to come back.

That is not a massive amount of time. Do not disturb other people.

All it takes is one person to go screaming past a window,

a teacher to complain, and we're not allowed

to go outside during lessons any more.

OK, every bum should be on their seat at five-to.

Everybody got that?

-Yeah?

-I've got a watch.

Alex has been really looking forward to the Year 7 lessons -

let's hope it lasts!

I really like challenges.

Other people, there may be difficulties for them

but I don't think there will be for me,

I think I'll just roll along with it,

just take it as a breeze, just flow past.

No, I know what I'm doing now! It's all right! I've got it.

It looks like everyone's got stuck in,

although this mapping business can be thirsty work!

-Can we go in now?

-No! You just really want to go in, you.

Why don't you go in and have a blimming relax!

We've got a disabled toilet.

-Over there.

-I think we're far out. We're block 2.

Hang on! Didn't Miss say they had to keep quiet?

Too late, here she comes!

I'm standing around the other side of the block, and I can hear you.

It's disturbing every single lesson around here,

you need to keep your voices down.

Alex has finished the task in record time.

But classmates Kyran and Katie

are still debating the points of the compass.

"Never Eat Shredded Wheat", "Naughty Elephants Squirt Water",

"Naughty Ellie Slaps Wendy".

7AG have Science with me, Mr Thoburn.

Er, guys, bad-weather rule -

if it's like this, get yourselves in. Come on.

Which is great news for science geek, Adam.

It's great news for everybody, surely!

Are we going to be changing the fire's colour

by putting chemicals on them?

-Should we be doing that?

-I dunno.

-Do you want to?

-Yeah!

-Right, let's do that.

-This is extremely hot, all right?

-Thousands of degrees.

Very, very dangerous.

Science is a big deal for me

because I'd like to get a job in it,

as an astronomer or a chemist.

This bit up here that looks a bit like a chimney,

we call it a "chimney".

This thing that looks a bit like a hose,

what do you think we call it? A hose, very good, well done!

You catch on really quickly!

You're going to connect your hose to a gas supply.

Over the summer holidays, Adam's been practising his own experiments

and looking forward to his first Year 7 science lesson.

It's very exciting to be doing experiments in secondary school

because the most coolest experiment we had in primary school

was putting liquid detergent and water together

to make the best bubbles.

All my friends decided to have a little bit of a laugh

and call me Mini Brian Cox.

But I would like to meet him one day cos he is my idol.

OK, Professor Cox, let's see what you can do.

Right, the gas is on so...

-Wahey, we did it!

-Well done!

-Can I have a go at lighting it?

Right, I'll have a go at lighting it now. I'll get another flame.

Right, you got it? Good lad! Well done!

Turn the gas on, quickly, quickly!

Yay!

We've spilled copper fluoride on the floor, is that OK?

Excellent, thank you for telling me.

It's not great, but I'll come and clear it up, thank you.

We've got the best science teacher...ever.

He's probably the funniest teacher I've ever met.

BOTH: He's awesome!

-He's the best teacher.

-Yeah.

He's my favourite teacher. He's really cool.

And cos he's a Geordie, it makes him even better.

I've been passionate about science

since I was their age, to be honest.

It was of the things I remember most about my time at secondary school,

was labs and science lessons

and learning how to use Bunsen burners.

And after the initial excitement and "whoo" had worn off,

learning about how the world worked.

Hopefully, we can ignite a little bit of the scientist

in all of them by the end of the year.

Guess why stars are different colours?

Because of the chemicals inside them.

Purple stars have got a lot of potassium in.

In all my years of school, this has been the best lesson ever.

I'm glad to hear it!

BELL RINGS

It's been a busy morning for our Year 7s,

but now, it's the most important event in any school day - lunch!

But they might be in for a shock when they get to the canteen,

which we call Big Cook.

Have you seen how long the queues are?!

As soon as the bell rings, I just stuff everything in my bag,

zip my bag up, put it on my back and I sprint outside.

-As soon as the bell rings...

-You have to run for your life.

Yeah, you have to run as fast as you possibly can.

-If you don't make it...

-You have to wait for, like, 20 minutes.

-20?

-Yeah.

-That's a bit less, isn't it?

It's like an hour or something!

You mean a bit more, then, not a bit less.

-All right, ha-ha! OK, you need a bit more, then.

-Yeah.

The queues might be longer than for a One Direction gig,

but is the food worth the wait?

-School dinners are well better than primary here, aren't they?

-What?

Do you think school dinners are better here than at primary?

I never had them at primary.

The food at Conyers,

it's absolutely awesome.

You've got so much variety of food.

Sounds delicious! And there's already a favourite Year 7 food.

Toasties and paninis,

that's the main thing at the moment that they want.

They can take them out.

It's different from what they normally get from primary school.

It's a big step for them,

to change from a primary to a senior school

and have all the different things, money, different drinks,

"I can have breakfast," "I can have lunch and a snack - cakes!"

It's been a long morning for Libby.

She hasn't been with any of her old primary-school friends

and wants to catch up with them.

Do you want to go for a walk, like see what the other places are?

Someone else she's keen to track down is older brother Jake.

Big cheesy smile!

He's in Year 10 here so knows just how it feels to start secondary.

So, let's hear his advice for Libby.

When you go to Conyers, just enjoy it.

And just don't worry too much, cos it's fine.

After a few weeks, you'll settle in and you'll be fine.

Thanks...

Well, it was worth a try. But now they're at school,

it looks like big brother's trying to keep out of sight.

He always just ignores me all the time

because he's been here all by himself for a few years

and I think he's settled in to Conyers,

and he hasn't has his little sister there.

I don't know where my brother is, though...

'Now, I've come, and everything's changed'

cos I can see what he's doing now.

'I want to see if he has a girlfriend'

cos he always keeps girlfriends secret in our family, like.

Still no sign of Jake, but at least Libby's starting to chat

with some of her new classmates.

Do you want my number?

My sandwich has got squished!

-Eugh, what sandwich? Is that banana?

-That's cheese.

Oh, right.

Right, someone here has dropped that crisp packet,

so whoever's responsible, pick it up, please, and put it in the bin.

Thank you very much.

Could you pick it up, rather than just kick it

-and pop it in the bin.

-I

-would do that.

Just pop it in the bin.

Thank you, just over there.

A busy lunch break means the conditions are perfect

for a uniform patrol!

They're pushing our definition of a school shoe, aren't they?

Where are your school shoes?

Head Teacher Mrs Spellman and Assistant Head Mr Skerry

keep a close eye for anybody who flaunts the school rules.

Dalpinder, here, come here.

Take your lovely pair of shoes, OK.

Put your trainers away in your bag.

Keep your Air Maxes for PE and playing football, all right?!

We go to lesson in our normal shoes. Now, off you go.

I'm strict on uniform because the uniform

is our community. The uniform is what makes you a Conyers student.

You're about to win my prize for the shortest skirt I've seen today.

Whoa! Hang on a minute!

'I have the knowledge about what an appropriate

'Conyers skirt looks like.'

It doesn't reveal very much leg,

it comes to the knee and it's not too tight,

and it's a very sensible shape.

It's the sort of skirt that mums and dads approve of,

but most Year 7 girls absolutely detest.

But the rules don't just apply to the length of your skirt.

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

That needs to come off.

You shouldn't be wearing make-up.

Go and take it off.

It needs a lady to tell the girls

that you might have moved to big school,

but still, we're not putting on make-up at lunchtimes,

and we're not going to be spraying ourselves with perfume.

Hmm, looks like some Year 7s haven't read the rule book yet.

BELL RINGS

Oh, sir!

At the start of the term,

each Year 7 tutor group elect two students

to be on the school council.

Listen in!

So, we'll start off,

we're going to start off with Adam.

In 7AG, both Adam and Libby have decided to run for election.

But to win votes, they'll have to give a speech.

Go.

Conyers is a great school. We all know that, don't we?

ALL: Yeah!

And it's got amazing sports facilities.

Now, with your help, if you give me...

to be your associate leader for this class,

I shall give ideas for the sports facility

to make it from amazing to UNBELIEVABLY amazing.

So, if you vote for me,

you shall have the best sports facility in the world.

APPLAUSE

Well done, Adam.

Adam seems to have impressed the class.

But Libby's having second thoughts

about standing up and giving her speech.

Libby, if you don't want to do it, it's entirely up to you.

An important part of any role that you do,

it's important to push yourself outside your boundaries.

If you're not confident to do it, maybe try it?

If you don't like it, at least you know you've tried.

Can I go last?

ALL CHANT: Libby! Libby!

SHUSHING

Oh, no, I can't.

Libby just can't face it.

OK, guys. Well done, everybody.

APPLAUSE

Right, we're out of time,

so what I want you to do is have a think about

who you thought was your favourite and why.

But Libby's crisis of confidence has upset her.

Luckily, teaching assistant Mrs Carter is on there to help.

I didn't like it.

You didn't like it? Don't worry about it.

-What didn't you like about it, darling?

-I made a fool of myself.

Hey! You never, EVER make a fool of yourself.

You didn't.

Why do you think you made a fool?

Because I just... Because I feel really embarrassed.

SHE SOBS

I was stood in the line and it was getting closer and closer to me

and I was just shaking and panicking, and I felt sick,

and I really get really ill from it, and I was... Ohh, it was awful.

Then I just went down and sat down, and I just didn't do it.

I'm in a different class now,

because I don't have my friends with me, that's what I mean.

Oh, right, I see.

I just feel like that's why I'm not as confident,

because if I was with my friends, then I'd feel more confident.

It's cos 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, sweetheart.

Alex has come into science full of beans.

HE SINGS THEME TO INDIANA JONES

I love you. Thank you so much.

Maybe it was that cheese toastie he had for lunch(!)

Bet Leia wrote that.

HE BABBLES AND LAUGHS

Ssh! Thank you.

-The girl who sits next to you...

-Ssh, Alex, thank you!

Well, he's already got the attention of Miss Pandha.

I think you'd get a one for that cos you mentioned the trend.

"As it has increased..." Yeah, that's one mark.

'I used to be really bad behaved,

'used to think I was the class clown and things like that.

'But now that I'm going into secondary school,'

to Conyers, I know that it's going to be stricter,

and that I will have to behave

and not do anything bad.

Oh, Beast World!

This is the heaviest thing in the world.

But instead of behaving,

Alex decides to show off his talent for making weird noises.

HE BABBLES

HE SCREECHES

THEY BOTH YELL

Right, finish what you're doing and then pass yours over there, OK?

So, Alex... HE BABBLES

A little bit of chatting going on.

I reckon that Alex is really pushing his luck.

I don't like the chatting over me,

especially when I've got lots of things to talk to you about.

-Do I make myself clear?

-Oh, yeah.

-Do I make myself clear?

-Yeah.

-Good, OK.

I want a really small graph in the corner.

That's Alex told. Surely he'll get on with his work now.

-What are you doing?

-Checking your pulse. Oh, my God, you're dying.

Maybe not. And Miss Pandha's had enough.

Michael's dead!

Right, can I swap you two because I'm getting a little bit tired

of you having a bit of a chat in my lessons. It's not good enough.

I'm going to speak to Miss Gibbons about this today.

We've been discussing this thing cos I'm trying to tell him...

You don't back-chat teachers.

I want you to listen and get on with your work.

Because when you come to Year 8 and Year 9,

you've got a lot of work to do.

I don't want to have this conversation again, OK?

That's warning number one!

..Yep!

'People always say that I'm one of the...

'I'm one of the funny ones.'

I just get overexcited sometimes and just bring it out.

Or I do get a bit nervous sometimes

and it just comes out when it's not meant to.

In English, it's all gone a bit Willy Wonka.

So, who are the Oompa Loompas? Who were they?

But what's got up Libby's nose?

SHE SNEEZES

SHE SNEEZES

SHE SNEEZES

SHE SNEEZES

SHE SNEEZES

That's one way to get classmate Jess's attention!

SHE SNEEZES

Miss, I need a tissue.

After seven big sneezes, Libby's got her hands full.

..That's really good.

Have you scared her off?

No, she sneezed about 14 times, so she needs a tissue.

-Minging.

-Exactly.

Jess, do you know what Miss said?

-What?

-She said, "Are you allergic to Jess?"

-JESS GASPS

-Miss! That's mean!

No-one's allergic to me!

Yeah, they are. I'M allergic to you!

-Oh! Libby!

-I never, I never.

Oh, well, come here, then! Pass me your thing.

Try and get it.

There you go.

Well, that's boring.

SHE LAUGHS

'I went into a tutor group all by myself, with none of my friends.'

It was really nerve-racking.

The girls in my form, they're really easy just to talk to.

You realise that things aren't actually that bad.

That they just talk and...

I talk too much!

I'm going to have the Great Wall Of China

but make it The Great Wall Of Loompa Land.

The Great Wall Of Loompas!

-Yep!

-Does sulphuric acid have sulphur in?

-It does, yeah.

And does nitric acid have nitrogen in?

Yes, absolutely right. Well done.

'Adam has a passion for science - good lad!

'And after only a few days,

'his enthusiasm hasn't gone unnoticed, by me anyway.'

I gave you the chemical formulas for all the acids.

Did I? Have you noticed something they all have in common?

-They all have hydrogen in?

-Bingo.

OK, well done, excellent question,

and something that was a Year 11 question. So, well done, mate.

-You're a clever little clogs.

-BELL RINGS

I'm not done yet!

'Lesson over, but I've got a bit of a surprise for this lot.'

For OUTSTANDING contribution...

this certificate of merit

goes to Varda.

Round of applause!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

And Adam.

Round of applause, please.

It's a great start to life here for Adam.

# Panini, Panini, Panini! #

JESS LAUGHS

And after all her nerves,

it looks like Libby's managed to make a good friend, too.

'When I'm with Jess, she makes me laugh all the time.'

But I think it's good, she's a nice friend and she's really nice.

Just she laughs so much! And I think I laugh as well with her.

ALL LAUGH

'But I think I've just got to shut up,'

because I just don't want to get into trouble.

Right, Year 7, your chairs need to be tucked under.

But despite Alex wanting to turn over a new leaf here,

he's already in trouble...

Alex, you're staying with me.

..and his tutor, Miss Gibbons, wants a word.

-OK, do you know why I want to speak to you?

-I don't think so.

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

-Is it good or bad?

-Bad.

-Come and sit down.

-Mmm, I don't know.

I had a little complaint about you.

About the way you spoke to adults,

about the way you just messed around, basically.

-You were singing?

-Singing?

You were singing out loud, OK, when you've been told to be quiet.

-Singing out loud...

-OK, there was a couple of things.

-Just the way you spoke to adults was the main thing.

-OK.

-OK?

I know that you're all right with me, OK?

But when you've got all these other teachers,

you need to treat them with the same respect that you treat me. OK?

Because you've been brilliant,

and that's the first thing that you've done wrong.

I know you all get a little bit excited in form time,

but when you're in a lesson,

-you need to listen to what that teacher says, OK?

-OK.

-Brilliant. I don't want to hear anything else about you.

-OK.

Otherwise, I'll make you stay with me all day, every day,

-and you'll get bored.

-OK.

-OK, thank you very much for staying and talking to me.

-OK.

-See you soon.

-See you, Miss.

'I'd say that it felt fair because

'I don't think I was paying that much attention.'

Miss Gibbons, she's a warm-hearted person.

She'll understand you,

she'll make sure you're all right and things like that, so, yeah...

Starting Year 7 means taking on lots of new challenges,

and despite some wobbles, after only a few days,

Alex, Libby and Adam are settling in to life at secondary school.

-So, what did you think, all-in-all, Libs?

-I really enjoyed it.

-I don't know why I got upset, cos I think it was so fun.

-Really?

And if you know when other people...

When the next years come up to Conyers or wherever they go,

I don't think they should worry about it.

Oh, well, I'm so pleased.

I'm looking forward to the next few weeks, and my future.

I want to try and calm it down and stay on task, really.

And Adam won the election and was chosen to be on the student council.

I was pretty surprised that I was chosen,

because there was a lot of candidates,

and everyone said after, "Well done, Adam!"

Now, I've made loads of new friends,

I'm enjoying lessons,

I'm just really enjoying the new life in secondary school.

Next time, on Our School...

That's refreshing!

Mr Glendenning and Miss Gibbons

show us that they're more than just new teachers.

-I can't stand quietness.

-I love it.

Cup of tea!

Head Cook Julie keeps spirits up in the canteen.

LAUGHTER

And you'll get to meet a teaching legend - me.

That looks like it's been through the digestive system of a cat.

BOTH: I think...

No, it's my go!

No, no, no!

Don't you dare - argh!

BOTH GIGGLE

This is a serious interview, Kyran!

BOTH GIGGLE

-Oh!

-HOWLS OF LAUGHTER