Making Progress Our School

SCHOOL BELL RINGS

Each September, half a million children begin the most

important year of school so far.

Year Seven.

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!?

It's an early start for one Our School student.

This is Harry.

He likes dinosaurs.

-Yay, we're going to go to school!

-Okey-dokey.

School, school, school, school!

Want to learn about prehistoric monsters? Harry's your lad.

First there was the Cretaceous period,

and the first dinosaurs in the Jurassic period...

HARRY MUMBLES

So, hang on, the giant dinosaurs...

-Yes.

-As in the T-Rex and things like that?

Yeah, but not in the Jurassic, they keep in the Cretaceous.

-Right, so what comes next?

-I don't know.

MUM LAUGHS

Harry has autism and is part of what we call

the Progress Group which is based over here.

OK, are you going to press the button? Well done, you.

The Progress Group is for students who need a bit more support.

Whatever they're dealing with, the class is here to help them

feel more confident.

This time, as well as Harry,

we'll meet his Progress Group classmate, James.

I can see I'm going to have some fun with this class this year. We've

got some bright sparks in here, which is excellent, I like that.

Every single one of these kids has a lot to offer.

I believe in them, but they need to believe in themselves as well.

So what kind of a difference will it make for James and Harry?

Unsurprisingly, Harry's home has a bit of a dino theme.

Harry, what's your favourite thing in the world?

Reptiles, dragons, crocodiles,

lizards, turtles, dinosaurs,

including other prehistoric reptiles.

HARRY MUMBLES

Harry's autism makes it hard for him to communicate with

others and make friends.

It also gives him his unusual accent.

So to you, Harry, what do you think the word autism means?

Do you have any ideas?

I don't know. I absolutely do not know what it means.

-OK.

-But I think it knows I'm a bit special.

But Harry's autism doesn't stop him doing what he loves,

like climbing up this massive wall every Wednesday night.

What about climbing gear, do you wear all the climbing gear?

Yeah, we have to wear that otherwise we'll just, "Argh".

Look at him go!

So how high do you think you get, then?

Sometimes up to...

That high?! And do you not get scared of heights?

I used to be, but no longer.

For Harry, the really hard thing can be making a connection to

other people. He's never had a proper friend in his life.

So, how... Harry?

Harry, how important is it for you to make friends around the school?

It's just so I can have lots of friends

and get used to other people.

Bringing friends home would be lovely because he's always

been a well-liked child, but he's never really been invited to

many parties and people haven't really invited him

home for tea, you know, he hasn't had that, so that would be great.

So will things change in Secondary?

Will Harry find a friend?

It's all down to him.

Whoo-hoo!

Harry's classmate James is very practical, he loves building stuff.

I like making things because it just takes my mind off everything

and I can just concentrate on this.

Nobody's got to distract me all the time.

Although I like making things,

when I grow up I'd like to be a demolition expert because I like

buildings, but I also like destroying things.

You get to, like, plant C4 and stuff like that

and you get to, like, say, "Five, four, three, two, one," and then

blow it all up!

James has dyslexia, which means that he struggles

with his reading and writing down the ideas he has in his head.

When I, like, do writing at school,

I find it tricky because I just can't, like, write properly.

And in his primary school, James didn't always get

the support that he wanted.

Because the teacher couldn't read it, I had to do it again

and again and again, which really got annoying because that's

the best I could do.

It's not a subject he finds it easy to talk about.

But maybe his time in the Progress Group will help James feel

better about his dyslexia.

In you come.

Back in school, Harry and James have History

and a chance to meet their teacher, Mr Smith.

This is my finger of doom!

Oh, my!

And when I ask a question, with my finger of doom,

then you have to answer it!

HE HUMS CREEPY MUSIC

Finger of doom!

Er, History is about things that happened in the past.

Spectacular answer.

How things happened and when things happened is really important.

What happens if I try to walk through this door

without opening it?

Shall we try it out? OK.

The Progress Group works with the students

until they're able to join the main school, but to do that,

they'll really have to show their teachers that they're ready.

We're almost there.

Now I understand the planes reverse, then those cars, then this...

Mr Smith is a particularly handy choice for Progress Group teacher.

Like James, he has dyslexia.

OK, fantastic. By the way, if you see me wearing blue glasses that's

because I'm dyslexic, I find reading difficult and it helps me out.

I'm not trying to look cool, because that's impossible.

Mr Smith, he's a really fun guy

and he's also had dyslexia and stuff like that.

Spectacular, what a good answer, that's fantastic.

So he's been through the whole process and stuff, and, like,

what I'm going through now.

Fantastic.

Meeting Mr Smith has helped James who seems to be

settling in to life at school.

Just don't get him started on One Direction

Do you like One Direction?

-No!

-Oh...

They're the worst.

The worst people in the world.

-Do you know Zayn is getting married?

-Who?

-Yeah?!

Zayn's getting married, and he's bought his mum a house.

Who's Zayn?

That didn't impress the girls,

but James is already proving that he's a bit of a whizz at Maths.

Yes! In your face, Science!

Or Maths, whatever we're doing.

You leave me no choice but to give you 10 points.

-Really?!

-Seriously.

-Get in there.

Harry's settling in to school, too.

Today he's got PE.

Because he doesn't always do what he's supposed to...

You're cheating. Go back, do it again, bounce the ball.

..Harry has a Teaching Assistant with him to keep him focused.

One more, one more.

That's it. Brilliant, dribble it back.

Break time is always busy.

A noisy new world for Harry to get his head around.

Like a lot of the Progress Group, he's not keen on crowds

so Harry likes to hang out in the Learning Support room

where it's nice and quiet.

The topic of conversation - dinosaurs.

..even those from the Prehistoric times.

What's your favourite kind of dinosaur?

I like them all.

Do you not have a favourite?

Yes, Tyrannosaurus...

HE LISTS DINOSAURS

..two hours later...

THEY LAUGH

HARRY MUMBLES

And velociraptor!

Lessons are OK, but Harry would much rather play Dinosaurs and Monsters.

Harry is the kind of kid who loves, absolutely loves, dinosaurs.

Ooh, I found one with dinosaurs on! I think that's Harry's!

You're now going to tell me something about pirates.

Put your hand up. Yes, Harry?

Er, I can't... Sea monsters?

They're cousins of sea reptiles.

Yes, but what I'd like you to do is give me

-something about pirates, Harry.

-Yes, sir.

Harry, do you want to stay in the Progress Group for ever?

Or do you feel at some point you might be able to move out,

what do you think?

Um, I haven't thought of that yet, but I'll let you know if I want to.

-You'll let me know.

-So for now you feel happy in there?

Yeah, for now, I'm feeling safe. I'll stay with them, just for now.

OK.

Meanwhile James' dyslexia is getting him down.

Reading and writing can be really difficult.

Can you just read a question out for me?

-Course I can, do you want me to pop over?

-No, it's fine.

So the floor in one room requires 23 more tiles,

so we could write it like this, "Plus 23", couldn't we?

SCHOOL BELL RINGS

Excellent, you can pack away now.

Right, once you've packed away, you may go.

But Mr Smith has spotted James' frustration.

-James, have you got five minutes?

-Yes.

I just want to have a quick chat with you, all right?

About how you're feeling, because you and I share the same things.

We have the same problem, what's the problem that we share?

-Can't write.

-Can't write, yes. What do we call that?

What's the name for it?

Beginning with a 'D', what do I call myself all the time?

-Dyslexic.

-Dyslexic. Do you find it frustrating when you have ideas here

-and you can't get them on the paper?

-Yeah, that's the worst.

Is that the worst bit? I find that the worst as well.

And a lot of people don't understand that if you find it difficult

to write, that doesn't mean that you don't understand, does it?

Yeah?

Cos it all goes on your writing, it doesn't go on what you know.

Exactly, right.

What would you want other people to know about being dyslexic?

How hard it is.

How hard, what do you mean by how hard it is?

Like, um...

-..what's the next question?

-OK, that's fine.

What I would want people to know, OK, is that I'm not stupid.

Because I used to feel,

when I was at school, that I couldn't think properly.

I used to think that it was a problem with me.

But you're really smart, cos you're a teacher!

Yeah, but I didn't think so when I was at school.

Everyone else could do all the different things,

could do all the writing and could read...

But it doesn't matter, you're a teacher.

I bet some of your friends aren't a teacher, I bet

-some of your friends...

-That's true.

..work in ASDA or somewhere like that.

Well, yeah, but, that's what I want you to think about, you see,

because I know that it feels really bad right now, OK?

I know that it does, because I felt that bad. I used to think

I couldn't do anything, I was rubbish, and then I remember

exactly the day that I thought, "Actually, I'm quite clever," and

I was out of school, and somebody was talking and I knew the answer to

the question and nobody else in the room knew the answer,

-and I went...

-I'd love that.

"Oh, I'm pretty clever, then!"

I'd love that, I really would love that.

And you probably will. You'll find one, and you'll know the answer

and no-one else will.

Cos there's other things that we're good at,

that other people might not be.

SCHOOL BELL RINGS

Good to have a chat, OK? Thank you very much, James.

THEY BOTH EXHALE

OK?

A big part of the Progress Group

is trying to help pupils with their social skills,

so it's easier for them to make friends, and work together.

Now, I know for a fact in here, about 70% of you find

it difficult working with others.

The class are split into pairs,

and asked to come up with a presentation together.

Right, Harry, would you work with Kyra for me, please?

-Who?

-The young lady who's waving at you, would you...

-I was going...

-No, I know, but I want you to work

with people you wouldn't normally work with.

Making a connection to other people is something Harry

often struggles with.

I know how this could work. You could tell Kyra all about dinosaurs,

because I know you're a bit of an expert,

and you're passing on your knowledge and your expertise.

No, no, no, no, no, no. I'm not doing it.

I just don't want to do it.

OK, you don't have a choice, I want you to do it.

Harry's a bit tricky to get to know because sometimes he listens,

but sometimes he doesn't.

Harry's still refusing to talk to Kyra about their presentation.

Now, listen, Harry, you've got to discuss with Kyra your talk,

because you're going to be talking in front of the rest

-of the class about this in, like, five minutes.

-Oh, OK.

OK, so no drawing, please don't draw.

But I want to draw.

The way you're going to help is by talking to her.

Right, come on, then.

It's show time but it's ended up a bit one-sided.

We're talking about Jurassic Park.

There's a picture.

I enjoyed Jurassic Park because it had all different

types of dinosaurs.

There were some tyrannosauruses, velociraptors...

LISTS DINOSAURS

..triceratops...

raptors, velociraptors...

-PUPIL:

-What was it again?

-TEACHER:

-No, no, no(!) Very well done.

Have a seat, OK?

If Harry's going to make friends at school, he's going

to have to let other people get to know him, which is hard.

Every two weeks the Progress Group get to do something unusual.

This lesson is Fruity Friday.

So, because it's Fruity Friday, and because you've worked so well,

this is the reward you get.

Nobody else in the school gets this!

As part of Fruity Friday, Mr Smith hands out special

hats as a reward for the last fortnight's work.

This one is my bright ideas hat.

This is for the person who's had the best bright idea or logical

idea in the last two weeks, and that is going to be Lauren.

Lauren had some brilliant ideas,

she has been our best thinker, a round of applause, please!

Fireman sort out problems, so people that have had a problem

and have sorted it out, that is for...James.

James, I've seen you help people, so you put that on.

A round of applause for James, he's been helping people,

well done, solving problems.

Fruity Friday is also when the teachers announce if

anyone's going to leave the Progress Group and return to the main school.

The first to go is this lad, Leo.

From Monday onwards, Leo's going to join his tutor group,

and integrate into all of his lessons with his tutor group.

That's because the efforts he's shown over the last week

and a half, and because we feel that he'd be better placed there,

so well done, Leo, so another round of applause for Leo.

Applause for Leo! Well done, Leo.

And now the fun times, you get fruit!

ALL: Yeah!

Seeing Leo leave the group has given James plenty to think about.

Inspired by Leo's success,

James is in the library at lunchtime to get his head down.

I've lost my good pen.

Where's Mr Smith, then?

-That says Smith.

-That doesn't say Smith.

Well, it does in my world.

James has been thinking a lot about the Progress Group.

Coming from the Progress Group, I'd much rather move to the main class.

Part of it is that he's really missing his friends in main school.

My friends have been saying that they want me back and stuff cos

I'm a really fun character and I bring it to the class.

My plan is to get, like, um, really good

so I can move out of the Progress Group and I can hopefully start

getting back.

So James has a plan, but his friends have other ideas.

Right, stop it now.

I need to do my homework.

Don't play with my pencils!

If he can get his pens back, maybe James can show what he can do.

THEY GIGGLE

Meanwhile, Harry's back in Learning Support,

and he could be about to make his first friend.

Has Harry finally met his match in Year 8 student, Ethan?

Have you seen Clash Of The Titans?

These guys were all the dinosaurs' relatives,

and then they evolved into smaller creatures like...

LISTS DINOSAURS

It's even bigger, but sometimes it's a huge one,

like the mighty tyrannosaurus and the triceratops!

It was bigger than that, like spinosaurus.

It wasn't a giganotosaurus.

With Harry, I like the fact that he's into dinosaurs

because dinosaurs were the first obsession that I had,

and I know almost everything about them, that we, that humanity knows.

When was the first time you actually learned about...

Some of the words they use, I don't even know those words.

I think putosuchus...

Postosuchus!

Postosuchus is actually the ancestor of...

-Of crocodiles.

-Yes.

It's like having two professors, discussing dinosaurs sometimes.

Harry seems to have found a friend.

God knows how... I am actually not angry with you.

Ow! Ow!

Right, guys, sandwiches away, otherwise I will eat them!

Phones away, otherwise I will sell them.

-Sell them?!

-Oh, yeah.

The Progress Group has Maths with Mr Waterson.

I'm going to introduce you to probability.

But first there's a surprise for James.

I was given these earlier.

Ah, "What are these?", you ask.

A good question. I'm not going to tell you because...

I might know what's in these envelopes but

they're not addressed to me,

and they're not addressed to you either,

so legally speaking, you're not allowed to open these

because it says "parents" of James Barker.

I tell you what, in front of the entire class, I need an assurance

from you that you're not going to open this until you get home.

He's smiling!

Right, what happens, do you think,

if he opens this before he gets home, what shall we make him do?

-Make a detention.

-Give him a detention!

Super duper. Whoa, whoa, whoa!

So, do not open it until you get home,

otherwise you'll be spending some time with me,

-picking some chewing gum off the underside of tables.

-Oh, gross!

Put in bag.

And it's not just James.

Classmate Kyra is getting a letter, too.

Not till you get home.

Well, today at school I got this envelope off Mr Waterson

and I wasn't allowed to um...

Open it.

Open it, yeah.

Now I really want to know what's inside it.

# Dum-dum-dum! #

-Are you curious about what's in the letter?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Mwa-ha-ha-ha.

You're just getting me all nervous now, you really are.

I do apologise.

Over in Art, speculation is rife,

what could the letter be?

"Parents of James Barker."

Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

I think that... I'm not sure.

I tried to look through it but I can't see anything.

Detention maybe?

Yeah, it could say you've got six weeks of detention.

Maybe you might be going to isolation?

I could... It could say,

you've been suspended for ever.

Hopefully, it's good news and not

bad news cos I don't want it to be bad news cos that won't be good.

# Dum-dum-dum! #

Finally, it's the end of the day and James takes his letter home.

Hi.

-Mum, I got a letter today.

-Oh, did you?

-Yeah.

-is this good news?

-I hope so.

I wonder what it can be.

Maths Academy.

Oh, my word, James.

"Based on your initial assessment of your child..."

Means me, yeah.

"..James has been placed in Set 3.

"This will take effect from Monday.

That's brilliant, James! Group 3! Well done!

-Are you going to give me a hug?

-No!

I'm getting excited, myself, now!

-That's really good news, James!

-It is actually.

I'm very proud of you James, very proud.

He's done so well in his Maths,

that James will be moved into the main school for those lessons.

It's a huge achievement.

Yeah!

Today is a big day for Harry.

Rargh!

He's invited a friend home.

Hey!

-Hi, Ethan!

-Hi, Harry.

Oh, hiya, Ethan's dad!

I found a dinosaur. Hey, Mum, Ethan brought this guy.

Well, I can see something. Oh, wow.

He's a great friend, and he's the bestest friend

in the whole world.

HARRY SCREAMS

Firing missiles!

I definitely know more about dinosaurs than Harry.

Hey! I know twice more!

-No, you don't.

-Yes, I do.

-No, you don't.

-Yes, I do!

-No, you don't.

-That doesn't work! Rock paper scissors!

Rock paper scissors!

-Yes!

-I still know more!

-I still know more.

-I won!

I still know more.

The first term at secondary school has been

a real success for Harry.

This year, it has been great.

It's great, great, great, great...

OK, you can stop now!

He's done so brilliantly and I'm very proud of him, um...

but then I guess I always am cos he's pretty marvellous.

It has been...awesome!

It's non-uniform day,

but the Progress Group have bigger things to think about.

It's also Fruity Friday and James and Kyra's send off.

So, we have our hat award first.

I want that one!

This one is for the people that made me laugh this week

or the last two weeks.

It is the comedian hat, and it goes to James. Well done, James.

Yeah!

-A round of applause for James.

-I'm wearing this!

At the start, I felt, like, nervous and

I don't know what's going to happen, and I might not find the rooms.

-But when you get in there...

-Yeah, you're fine.

It doesn't actually hurt.

I think that James isn't limited by his fear of his dyslexia

anymore, it doesn't stop him doing anything.

-There's only one girl that's got a hat.

-Who?

You!

There are two people in the group this week who got a letter,

telling them some good news, positive news, and that was

that they are leaving the lesson Maths, that they have with

Mr Waterson, and that's because they've worked exceptionally hard.

Now those two people, Kyra and James, well done!

Whoo!

Right, and of course it is Fruity Friday, what do we get to eat?

ALL: Fruit!

Leaving the Progress Group will be good and sad at the same time,

cos I'm leaving my friends.

-Like me!

-But I'll be happy because I'll be...

-Be with your other friends.

-Yeah, be with all my other friends.

James has proved something to himself,

and everybody else, canny work, fella!

Next time on Our School -

Owen has homework trouble...

Let's double check because I'm wondering if that's the case.

-..Iman learns some Japanese...

-Konnichi wa!

..and Harry shows his cheeky side.

-Yes, Harry?

-Your flies are undone.

Right, thanks for noticing that.

And action...

Hello?

Can I just test if it is working?

-How many times does seven appear?

-Four.

-Three... Six... Five...

-Whoa, which is it?

-This video is over!

-Harry, no!

Video's over now, got to go.

-Harry!

-Video's over.