What Happened Next? Our School

In September 2013, a new class of Year 7s arrived

at Conyers School in Yarm

and CBBC's cameras were here to record everything.

The ups...

Do you want to be my special friend?

..the downs...

I'm not staying in school, all right?

..the laughs...

HE BLOWS TRUMPET BADLY

..the tears...

-I didn't like it.

-You didn't like it.

..and...

HE BELCHES

..the burps.

But time flies and Year 7 are now Year 8.

For the kids of Our School, there have been quite a few changes.

They're not 11 any more.

They're turning 13

and taking the big step

to becoming teenagers.

Let's see what's changed in...

BELL RINGS

Oh, that's out of date, that. Hang on. There we go.

BELL RINGS

Our old Year 7s didn't just have to deal with being at a new school.

They also had to cope with everybody watching it on telly.

HE BELCHES

-How can you do that?

-How can you do that?

THEY LAUGH

But what do they think of it now?

Oh, wow.

Oh, that's so cute.

-Like, watching it back, it is, it's quite cringey.

-Cringey.

Like, "Oh, my God," as if I was like that.

See?

-That spot on my head.

-Ew!

THEY SING

BOTH: What were we doing?

Good. Turn round.

Give us a twirl, Adam.

Leprechaun!

Look how young I look.

HE BELCHES

Not funny. That is actually just disgusting.

We look at ourselves and we're like,

"We were never like that.

"I never remember myself like that."

Mr Glendenning.

What was I thinking on my first day? Like, my hair.

-You look like you had no hair.

-I know.

So the kids were suddenly famous...

My dentist watches it and she goes...

My mum... We had to sign something. She went, she said,

"Probably be getting your autograph instead, shouldn't we?"

..and the school was full of catchphrases.

-Hey, Ben.

-Hey, what?

I'm never, ever going to live down "bungalow".

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

You're dying, aren't you?

Do you want to be my special friend?

No, thanks.

Oh, no!

When Alex said

in the show, "Will you be my special friend?"

-Everyone just kind of like...

-It kind of just spread.

-Yeah.

Oh, will you be my special friend?

Since the first day that that was introduced,

my family members have taken the mick so much.

Do you want to be my special friend?

That catchphrase has gone even into primaries. My brother heard it.

That was a mistake. That was a big mistake.

Oh, is that embarrassing you, Alex?

So we shouldn't just play it again, then.

Do you want to be my special friend?

Oh, no!

Back in Year 7, and on her first day, Libby was incredibly nervous.

I don't really want to go.

Oh, you have to, though.

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

-Yeah.

Oh, God.

When I watch it back,

it's really, like, annoying to see myself getting in such a fluster,

because it's not really that nerve-racking if you

think about it because it does all turn out fine

and you do make friends.

The Year 8 Libby is a very different person.

Oh, dear, man.

I think I've changed from Year 7 because I'd say I've got a lot

more confident and I've matured a lot more.

Is that me or does that look wonky to you?

She was really shy and now

she's just this loud character.

I hate the sound of it.

As she gets older, Libby's interests are changing, too.

I'd say when I was in Year 7 I was really bothered about,

like, fashion and stuff.

Oh, my God.

But now I've come into year, like, eight...

Come on, girls.

..I enjoy football.

WHISTLE BLOWS

I think you can have that, like,

balance of liking a boyish-type sport like football

but then also, like, being into your fashion and stuff.

Let's go. Keeper's ball.

-I like your shoes.

-Thank you.

And it's a big week for Libby, with a massive birthday approaching.

In a week or so, I'm going to be 13.

Chloe, I'm going, er, for my 13th birthday

-and I was wondering do you want to come?

-Yeah.

My invitation must have got lost in the post.

But we'll still see you at the party, Libby.

I can't wait to be 13.

Adam was the science guru of Year 7,

always proper keen in all my lessons.

So much so, I even gave him an award.

The certificate of merit goes to Adam.

-Round of applause, please.

-CHEERING

But Adam's changed a lot since Our School was first shown.

Are we going to be changing the fire's colour by putting

chemicals on them?

Science guru, Adam.

When I watch the science-y bits in Our School,

it was just proper embarrassing because I'm not like that any more.

Yeah?

-Here we go, science guru.

-God!

-By any chance does sulphuric acid have sulphur in?

-It does, yeah.

-And does nitric acid have nitrogen in?

-Yes. Absolutely right, well done.

-You're too smart, you, aren't you? Just too smart.

-Shut up.

For Adam in a Year 8, it's all about the football.

I don't really have many science stuff in my room.

It's mainly more about Middlesbrough and football.

Up here I've got

a Middlesbrough emblem.

I've got a Middlesbrough plaque

and I've also got our mascot as a teddy, Roary Lion.

Adam, mate, what about the science?

Where's that old chemistry set you used to have?

I can't remember the last time I used this. I might keep it.

You never know, it might get really bad one day.

That's tragic, that.

What's football got that science hasn't, eh?

All right, lads.

In every subject, it's just football. Like always football.

I got 570 points on Kick for one game last night. I'm buzzing.

"Did you see the footie match tonight? Blah, blah, blah."

He may not be my little science guru any more

but Adam's heading for someone else's good books.

As a lifelong Boro fan, it's great to see

Adam having a season ticket and committing himself to

a life of...

torture, probably, in most cases.

Come on! Yes! Oh, come on!

Yeah, OK, footie, footie, footie.

But Adam, mate, what about the science?

With science and all that, like, I still find it really interesting.

# We're going up! We're going up! #

'If I get a job in science, like,'

all I care about is getting enough money to go to football matches,

so I need a good job to take enough money,

so that's where science could come in.

-Use science to get to the Boro match.

-Yeah. I could.

Your logic is off it.

Ah, so you see you can like science and football. Nice one, Adam.

CHEERING

Get in! Get in!

BELL RINGS

Year 8 can be pretty weird.

Your whole body starts changing in all sorts of ways.

For the lads, it's a tough day at school when your voice breaks.

Some people have really high voices.

-DEEP, HUSKY VOICE:

-Some people talk like this.

Some people... I don't think anyone talks like that.

One moment there can be high-pitched voices,

next minute they're like Barry White.

Apparently my voice has gone lower. Has it actually gone lower?

Let's find out, shall we?

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

And here he is now.

DEEPER: When he died, they lost all power, but they gained control.

I think that's a yes, Ben.

THEY LAUGH

-The worst one in our form I'd probably say is Iman.

-Yeah.

Definitely.

Here's the Year 7 Iman.

IMAN GIGGLES

He used to be like... HIGHPITCHED: "Konnichi wa!"

Konnichi wa.

And now he's like... DEEPER: "Konnichi wa."

I don't think I'd recognise myself

because I've changed quite a lot.

And it's not just deeper voices.

They've all become giants.

I've grown. I'm almost as tall as her.

-Yeah. I am.

-OK.

SHE MOUTHS

And look at Ben.

You're like Hagrid off Harry Potter.

I can just reach, like, your quiff.

Last time I was measured I was, like, five foot nine.

So I must be about six foot now.

But here's someone who hasn't changed much.

-I think Kyran's shrunk.

-No, I haven't shrunk.

Motorbike-loving Kyran is almost exactly the same height.

That's height order now.

No. Kyran, go.

Oh, Kieran's shorter than May.

Ha! I'm the tallest!

I guess the advantage of being small

is that you can ride your motor bike faster.

That's the spirit, Kieran.

Good things in small packages and all that.

I'm well good, me.

Back in Year 7, Alex had a talent for getting in trouble.

HE SPEAKS GIBBERISH

THEY LAUGH

I had a little complaint about you,

about the way you spoke to adults,

the way that you just mess around, basically.

In Year 7, I was very naughty, cheeky, always misbehaving.

But Year 8 Alex is taking a very different attitude to school.

Right, Alex, seeing as you're last in, can you do me a favour, please?

I think I'm growing up quite a lot.

Can you take them to Miss Lawton,

-just in that office, there, please?

-Yes.

'I've started to focus more in lessons and I haven't been'

that bothered about being, like, the class clown or owt.

Anyone got an idea? Alex?

It's cos, like, Bruno's dad is like a father to Maria.

Obviously I'll still be funny and cheeky in lessons.

HE SNORTS

I'm never going to stop being that guy.

I still have a talent in getting distracted.

If there's an opportunity for a bit of messing about to be had,

then Alex will be leading it, you know,

but he knows now when he's overstepping the mark.

So what's all this about, Alex?

Why such a change of heart?

My mum and dad have been saying I need to stick into school.

This is going to be a hard year, but just stick at it,

and that's just gave me a bit more motivation to do well at school.

Alex, potentially, could go right to the very top.

He could be a candidate for head boy in the future.

Wow, praise indeed.

Poppy has made some big changes since she was in Year 7.

I'm kind of a girlie girl.

I can't go out without putting on some make-up.

You've lost so much weight. You have.

-I should hope so. God.

-You have.

I didn't like the way that I looked so during the six weeks holidays

I tried to lose weight, which I did.

I lost about two stone.

Poppy's new regime of exercise and healthy eating

puts me to shame, I can tell you.

I think I've become a bit more confident within myself

and I know who I am a bit more.

See, that's one thing I can say about you, Poppy.

You may have changed your appearance on the outside

but you've always been absolutely beautiful on the inside.

It's helped Poppy do a lot of thinking about her future.

In Year 7, I wanted to do something to do with like...

Usually I wanted to be a beautician.

Now I think I've got an idea of what I want to be.

I want to go into psychology to try

and help people with their confidence and to trigger the way

they think about themselves instead of just what they see in the mirror.

So, lots has changed round here,

but not everything.

At break time,

you still don't want to bump into Mr Skerry on his uniform patrol.

Excuse me.

Have we been wearing those shoes since we've come to this school?

A lot of things have changed for them since

they started in Year 7 but I'm still Mr Scary.

We don't wear trainers at break. That's not part of our uniform.

But at home it's a different story.

When Our School was filmed, Molly was only six weeks old.

She's now 18 months.

-I see Bo Peep. What are these here?

-Duck.

-Duck.

Quack-quack.

Back in Year 7,

Ben was trying out everything to find his ideal hobby.

Men can move six inches each go.

Surely he's cracked it by now.

Hasn't he?

I don't think I've found the ultimate hobby.

I've tried quite a lot of stuff.

It's not that I don't like them, I just don't like them.

How do I get down?

I'm still looking at the moment.

Back in Year 7, Ben was trying out the trumpet.

HE BLOWS TRUMPET

But now he's dabbling with a different instrument.

Instead of a trumpet, I started to learn the ocarina.

HE PLAYS NOTES

That was kind of a tune.

It could be my next hobby but I don't think I can make a career out of it.

The other big thing that's changed round here are their friendships.

Here's a new one.

SHE SINGS

Talent show winner Delight was one of our more confident,

sensible Year 7 pupils.

SHE SINGS

-Your face went mental.

-Yeah, cos I was going so high.

Oh.

But Year 8 has brought a change of heart.

Since Year 7, I think I've changed quite a lot.

Just a bit more laid-back and stuff.

It's like looking after a little, tiny baby.

Put that down.

Kyran, put it down.

THEY LAUGH

Seeing myself on TV, I was like, "Oh, my God, how serious am I?"

That's who I was in Year 7. Like, I can't change that.

And then now I'm just trying to, like, be happier

and be more comfortable.

And the new, more relaxed Delight has a brand-new best friend.

Well, old best friend. You'll see what I mean.

Meet Tiger Lily.

Good morning.

Delight and Tiger go way back.

When I was in primary school,

we were in the same year since year one

and we became best friends.

But the two girls ended up going to different secondary schools.

That is, until Year 8...

Yeah.

..when Tiger decided to join the gang at Conyers.

TIGER SINGS

DELIGHT SINGS

When the two girls get together in class, sparks always fly.

Put it in there.

Stop. Stop.

I think Tiger is really, really funny.

Like every single time, even in lessons,

all we do is just laugh about stuff, and she always gets me in trouble.

-Tiger!

-She has just drawn on my face.

-She is not as funny as me...

-Thanks.

-..obviously.

-Yeah.

But...but at least I make her laugh, that's probably the best thing.

No! Ruling all you peasants.

Did she just call us peasants?

Ever since Tiger started, I've become more comfortable in the school.

It felt better to, like, have someone there.

And theirs isn't the only friendship going through changes.

You remember Harry and Owen, right?

When we hang out, it seems we're glued together

and we go everywhere together.

Back then, all Owen wanted to do was look after Harry.

Just...just stick with me.

But in Year 8, all the form groups get split into sets,

so Harry and Owen are often in different lessons.

Since we're in different sets, we don't get to see each other as much

and that sort of like pulls it apart a little bit.

Harry's independence has grown massively.

He doesn't really need looking after any more.

At lunchtimes, he is out here, playing football.

When I play football, they get stuck into me.

And they're not afraid to tackle me

cos they know I don't want to be like, different.

But for Owen, the shift to year eight has been tough

and he has found himself in hot water for his behaviour.

-Owen?

-I forgot to bring it.

Right, Owen, well, tomorrow.

No excuses.

When I would get in trouble, I wouldn't just say, "Oh, fine,"

I'd take it too far and I got isolated for it.

I've been isolated... I can't remember how many times,

I don't really keep track.

Now that Harry doesn't need looking after so much,

Owen is sometimes at a loose end.

I miss Harry a lot because, like,

erm, when I was with him, we'd have a lot more fun.

But Owen has found a new way of showing his caring nature.

-Hiya, Brenda, how you doing?

-All right, thank you.

-How have you been since I left, then?

-I've been all right, really.

He is helping the people at the local care home

keep up-to-date with technology.

Then you go to a second backdrop where we can zoom out

and just move all of these characters off.

I never thought I would ever see the day

where I could understand them a little bit.

I do think I have a caring side.

Erm, like especially not just for Harry,

but for many other people as well because, like, I like helping people.

-So, I'll see you later, then.

-All right, darling.

Nice one, Owen.

A big part of Year 8

is realising you're not the youngest any more.

The Year 7s, are, like, just really cocky and just,

"Ooh, we're in big school now."

Even though we were all quite childish in a way, they really are.

But then, if you think really hard, then, we were in the exact same...

-We were like that.

-We were the exact same.

Some of the Year 7s are taller than me.

-All of the Year 7s are taller than you.

-Not all of them.

I thought when the Year 7s came, it was good cos

you feel like you've took one step up.

Higher authority.

BELL RINGS

So it is all about growing up.

But one pupil who has done more of that than most is Ewan.

Back in Year 7,

Ewan was living on the edge as he struggled to control his anger...

-I am not staying in school, all right?

-You're not coming home.

..and stormed out of school more than once.

You're not going home, like.

His fellow pupils didn't see any of this until it was on TV.

When Ewan walked out of school, I was kind of shocked

cos I didn't think someone would do that.

Ewan, come here, please.

I knew he was naughty but I didn't know that he would walk out

and go on a train home.

But flash forward to Year 8 and Ewan is still here.

-What do you think we need to do to it?

-Heat it up.

-Good.

We're going to heat it up. Thermal heat.

Well, in one point in Year 7, I thought I was going to get expelled

cos my behaviour was escalating.

But I have done really well, cos I'm still at Conyers.

Ewan has managed to survive Conyers and thrive.

-How many centimetres in are we going at the top?

-30 millimetres.

-30 millimetres, brilliant.

-I just got that right.

Ewan's doing great but it is important he stays on track.

Every week, the school sends him here,

to this local centre where they help kids with behavioural issues.

Since my journey, since Year 7, I have had my ups and downs,

but now I am going on a straight line.

So Ewan is finding things he is good at,

particularly when he's using his hands.

-And then, that's it.

-Oh, yeah, definitely,

I want to be a mechanic when I'm older

and the Phoenix Centre helps me do that.

-Can you manage?

-Yes.

He's always going to be a boy that's in and out of trouble

and he's going to make mistakes but the good thing about Ewan is,

he always comes back and he always is prepared to start again.

Nearly stripped it down, now, haven't we? Well done.

Now the hard work begins.

I feel proud of myself because I have grown up.

So, plenty of changes round here

but I reckon the biggest one is that they're all becoming teenagers.

Today is Libby's...

Well, you guessed it, it's her 13th birthday.

LIBBY GASPS

Oh, that is such a nice card.

"Happy 13th birthday, Libby.

"All of our love and hugs, Mum and Dad." Aw!

Hi, you OK?

I guess turning 13, you're like a teenager

and then you can stay out for longer

or go on the Xbox for longer.

# Happy birthday to you. #

I'd say, like, I'm just really excited to be a bit more grown up

and to have, like, more responsibilities and stuff.

Just to warn you, I am not the best cutter.

But not everybody is so bothered about turning 13.

I don't really want to turn 13 cos it's got the word "teen" in it

and I want to be known as a kid.

Just say "thir".

Oh, yeah, I'm totally going to go around saying, "Yeah, I'm thir."

What are we doing for you today?

Erm, can I just have it cut?

I just think, when I turn 13, I have an excuse to be moody.

It is a change and you just feel...you feel better,

you feel more confident.

I think I do, personally, I feel more confident

cos I am a teenager now.

-It's gorgeous, yeah.

-Really bouncy.

Really grown-up.

Glad you had a good birthday, Libs.

Turning 13 can be a big deal

but one of our Year 8s is taking an even bigger step.

Oh, he takes it.

Oh, and he takes it again.

Alex's parents are separated but he has stayed close to his dad

who has been through some tough times.

My dad battled with cancer for two years

so it has made me really proud of him because of what he has done.

Yeah. Oh, fantastic, thank you very much, Alex.

Back in Year 7, talking about his dad at school left Alex in tears.

It's just, like, it only really comes around if I talk about it that I get

really upset cos, like, it'll always be, like, in the back of my mind.

But things are looking up for father and son.

So, the big news from my dad is that he is going to get married.

So, here we go, son, another exciting day, trying a suit on.

-You OK?

-Yeah.

-Yeah? Good, I'm looking forward to it.

-Have you tried a penguin suit on before?

-No.

I'm going to be the best man for his day.

I just hope I can do really well on the day and impress him

and do him proud.

No peeking.

Oh! D'oh!

When he first said my name, to be the best man,

I was totally shocked, I was totally spellbound, I had no idea.

-Right, guys, what do you think?

-It is really good.

I just...I just thought it was a really proud moment for both of us.

I tell you something, it takes a real man to wear pink.

ALEX LAUGHS

I think because of what could have happened to my dad,

for something brilliant to happen, with him getting married,

just brings us a lot of good luck.

-Ready?

-Hey-hey!

Oh, brilliant, son. Lovely.

I like that, son, yeah.

-That's better.

-ALEX'S DAD LAUGHS

On the wedding, when we'll be on, like, the top table

and I'll be sitting next to him,

always I'll be thinking, like, "This is it, this is a big day."

Just really proud of my dad

cos he deserves it.

Big occasion, big day,

-supporting each other...

-Side by side.

-..side by side, son, yeah.

-I'm going to be so proud of you.

-Me too.

All good, son, all good.

CHURCH BELLS RING

Well, I can tell you that the wedding was a triumph

and the best man did his dad proud.

So you see, all of our kids are growing up in different ways

and starting to say goodbye to childhood.

The things I'll miss about being a kid is when you can just literally

go out and just play in the street for, like, ages.

Being childish and stuff and not having anyone be like,

"Oh, you're being childish," cos you are, cos you were a child.

When you're a teenager

and your parents catch you stealing stuff out of cupboards like crisps

and stuff, they'll, like, shout at you instead of just letting you off.

There's an easy way to get out of that, isn't there?

Don't get caught.

I'm in no rush to grow up.

I just want to live life in the now.

These guys have come a long way the start of Year 7.

I know it was only a year ago but it just seems like,

so long ago and it's just loads of...loads has changed.

THEY CHANT

Like, looking back on my time at Conyers,

it's obviously just more than going to school, it's more than learning

and it's more than, like, teachers and homework, it's more than that.

School is like family.

I've learnt a new trick with it.

I can burp "I am Ironman."

Go on, then.

I want proof.

-HE BURPS:

-I am Ironman.

There we go.

That is disgusting.

Oh, Lucas, that's minging.