We Can Be Heroes Our School

SCHOOL BELL RINGS

Meet year seven.

Awesome.

It's the most important year of school so far.

You're not here to have a laugh and a good time,

you're here to learn.

With so many changes...

..new friends...

Miss, have you got a cloth?

..and new teachers...

You are a Greenwood boy.

..it's an exciting world to discover.

Wow.

It can be fun,

but sometimes it can be tough.

There are different challenges for everybody.

We're in year seven and we're acting like three-year-olds.

We've rigged another secondary school with loads of cameras...

Is this what you see when you look through a camera?

Cos this is awesome.

..so you can find out exactly what happens.

You're on report by my request.

I'm Trev.

I used to go to school here,

but now I'm one of the teachers.

Last question, cos you're going to run out of time.

Welcome to Our School.

I need a wee.

Friendship groups in year seven are incredibly important but

they're not always straightforward.

It's a time that can make...

That's better.

..or break them.

I'm not having you speak about people like that, that's horrible.

Today on Our School, we meet self-confessed geeks

Callum and Daniel

and trainee cheerleader Kiara.

Kiara is part of the year seven cheerleading troop,

which is run by myself and head coach Julie.

The girls meet once a week and are currently choreographing

a routine for the school's talent show.

During rehearsals, Kiara is very focused, something that

doesn't always come so easily for her in class.

I need a wee.

I do not care, it is in the middle of class.

Need to write down a big spider diagram, as much stuff about reggae.

Oh, is it that chilli sauce?

Be quiet, do not speak any more.

-I've had enough.

-I've got a weak bladder.

Enough. Both of you now have detentions for speaking.

I told you to stop talking and you did not stop.

Oh, my God, man, I need a wee.

I do get detentions quite a lot.

I wouldn't say I'm the naughtiest,

but I'm wouldn't say I'm the goodest either.

That's your first warning, Kiara.

I'm going to put them in the bin after.

Kiara is a very, very smart, very good student in English.

She has the problem that a lot of them do,

is that she just gets distracted.

-Kiara, you can go stand outside.

-I haven't even done anything.

Yeah, you have.

Figure out how to be in class without laughing

and then you can come back in.

I don't have any problems with her, she's just a little

bit talkative sometimes, but we're working on that.

You need to pay attention.

Can you wait from outside as well, please?

I wasn't flapping around.

OK.

You're not focusing. There is something going on there,

people having a laugh and not knowing what to do.

I've got a problem with that, cos I've got a whole class

to look after.

I cannot spend all my time with you, trying to let you focus.

Now you've taken me away from the rest of the class.

It's not going to happen. You're not here to have a laugh

and a good time, you're here to learn.

If you happen to have fun, yes, but this is not the time.

It feels really bad to get told off by Mrs Saunders and all

the teachers cause it makes you feel, like, really, really naughty.

You backchat, you interrupt,

you're not focusing and I'm not happy with it.

I'm talking to a student, you demand my attention right there and then.

I didn't mean it like that.

-No, that's what you did.

-Sorry.

-That's what you did.

Your sorry doesn't count at the moment

cos that student didn't get all my attention.

It is wrong.

I was concentrating, though.

You were not.

I was, sir, the...

I'm still writing and you interrupt me.

'I don't know, I just feel like I just need to talk'

and then they say, "Well you talk at break," and I'm like,

"I know, but it's when you're at break, you don't find anything

"to talk about, but when you're in lesson,

"you find lots of things to talk about."

Shush! I can't concentrate.

Anybody that's involved in the cheerleading -

you know who you are -

at lunchtime today, you need to go down to 102.

-Give us an A.

-A!

-Give us an R.

-R!

-Give us a T.

-T!

What have you got?

-Art?

-Thank you, good grief!

Cheerleading's been done for quite a while in this school

and I think it's great for team building.

You know, looking, they have to keep in time with each other,

but also plan their routine.

-I have some really bad news about your cheerleading.

-What?

Miss Richardson can't be here today.

-Aw...

-All right?

But that leaves us with a problem.

What's that?

It means that you lot have got to be in charge.

Yes!

'It's always good when any group of pupils get together'

and they really have to think about what they do, share ideas,

come to an agreement and work together to produce it.

Your outfits, your possible routine, possible music...

Who's getting lifted.

All right? OK, brilliant.

But instead of getting themselves organised, it's not long

before a row breaks out about how many girls are allowed in the team.

Will everyone shut your gobs? No-one's getting kicked out.

No, no, Trev did say that.

-I'm going to quit.

-'Aw, don't quit, Cerys!'

Excuse me, come back here.

'People were storming out and then people were going after them

'and I was like, well, no, don't go after them,

they're going to come back eventually.'

So just come back, we'll decide it.

If they don't like it then that's their fault - they stormed out.

Come back in the room. Oh, do you know what?

I walked out because Kodi was like, "I'm going to get Miss Richardson,

"this is annoying." Then I walked out to get Kodi

and then Katie walked out, like,

"I'm not being kicked off. They can kick me off,

"but I'm going to quit if they kick me out."

So Katie walked out and then we got everyone back in

and then Kiara's like, "Had it, not doing this no more,"

long speech.

Do you know what? We're in year seven and we're acting

like three-year-olds. Don't walk out, don't follow people -

that's a sheep. You're not a sheep, are you?

I wasn't, I was talking to Kodi.

You can't just follow the leader. If you follow the leader...

Sorry, have I missed a bit?

No, it's not. We don't follow people.

You're the only person...

Don't give me a dirty look. You're the only person.

Seriously, Dulcie's her own person, Cerys is her own person,

Vanessa's her own person. How many people?

What, so you think if I walked out Vanessa would then follow me?

No, she wouldn't, cos she's her own person.

You are, though, that's why you're getting your bags

and you're walking.

Listen, whoever's walking out, walk out now.

Right? OK, then. Then let's close the door

and let's get on with what we're doing.

The people that are out there will come back in if they want to.

I feel like I'm on the Jeremy Kyle Show, OK?

Right, can we sort this out and write down our ideas and stuff?

Yes, please!

Over on the rugby pitch, Callum and Daniel are poised

and ready for action.

Dramatic start.

Ah!

I think I might be bleeding a bit.

Go on, Charlie!

No!

Oh!

Callum and Daniel have been best mates for years

and do everything together.

Wait for me!

Oh.

On the weekends after school we usually play out,

play video games,

and sometimes we might go to each other's houses for tea or something.

Watch this, you ready? Look, watch.

Whoo!

Hello, yes!

-Daniel, is all your work stuck in?

-Yeah.

So if I pick up your book and shake it, nothing will fall out?

Good.

Oh, I love my masterpiece.

Callum and Daniel are settling down to their work.

Well, that's what it looks like.

-TEACHER:

-The more expensive lemonade,

the less acidic - is that right?

It's not even a bendy pen.

No?

No, it's not even a bendy pen.

CRACK!

They seem to get through a lot of pens.

But life can't be all fun and games -

at some point you have to knuckle down and do some work.

Callum, you'll be back after school if you're not doing your work.

-I'm doing it, sir.

-You need to have a summary of what has happened

in the play so far, so write it down.

When things get a bit too dull for Callum, he has a few tricks up

his sleeve to relieve the boredom.

For starters, there's his singing.

# Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me? #

# And they called it puppy love. #

# Trouble, trouble, trouble. #

Oh, I know the next one.

HE HUMS

Do you know what my name would have been if I was a girl?

Callumina.

What?

Wait for it...

Claire.

Thanks for sharing that, Callum.

The boys' other major distraction is their love of drawing

and comic books.

I draw a lot in lessons. And plus, it keeps you concentrating

sometimes, cos I get really distracted easily.

-That's how you know I like comic books.

-Wow.

They've decided to try to put this passion to good use

and start up a comic book club.

It's break time and I'm helping them to create some posters to

advertise it around the school.

What do you think?

-Bang!

-Oh, cool.

I'm doing the pow one.

When I get my pug I'm going to dress him up as Spider-Man.

What would your superhero name be, if you was a superhero?

Danny Dazzle.

Danny Dazzle, I like that. What's your superhero power?

To cure people, my one would be, cos I'm Calpol.

-Cure people?

-Yeah, cos I'm Calpol.

My mum that name and she started calling him Calpol.

I'm like, "Mum, his name's Callum, stop it."

I like that.

You ever heard of comic conventions?

Yeah, it's like...

When, like, you dress up as a superhero from a comic

and then go to, like, a convention thing?

I happen to know that there's one of those happening in Birmingham

-really soon. Like, in the next couple of weeks.

-Yeah.

So wouldn't it be cool if we went along to that?

So I'm thinking maybe that could be our focus for your club.

What do you think?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

'There's only two of them at the moment,

'but hopefully these posters will persuade

'some more kids to come along.

'After all, who doesn't love a superhero?'

My favourite superhero is Iron Man.

-Superman.

-Batman.

-I've got two.

-Ah!

-Ow!

Superman, cos he can fly.

He can blow, like... He goes like that

and then, like, loads of people just go flying away.

I like Superman flicking his hair there.

Sometimes my hair's like him, you know.

Not today cos, like, hairspray.

Hulk.

I'd be Spider-Man if I was a superhero.

-My favourite superhero is...

-..The Incredible Cerys.

And mine is... What's mine?

-Captain Kelsey.

-Woohoo!

I'll be Catwoman.

-Cats have nine lives.

-My cat didn't.

I like Catwoman.

Got a tail like Catwoman and that's it.

What's her name and she's a cat?

-Catwoman.

-Batwoman.

-Batwoman?

-Yeah, Batwoman.

That's not a cat.

'The year seven cheerleading group are meeting to sort out

'their costumes.'

-There we are, we've got them.

-'That's the idea, anyway.'

I really have a bad problem,

Who's said they're coming to mine at nine o'clock?

Cos apparently everyone's coming to mine at nine o'clock

and I didn't say that.

What does that...?

-No-one's saying that now.

-Tonight?

-No...

This is... Whoo!

I don't want everyone to come to mine at nine o'clock.

OK, guys, listen, listen, listen.

I don't know who's going to do my hair. I'll have to do it myself.

Exactly! Listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen!

OK, girls, shh. Girls, just come back, come back to...

So, this is... Come to me. This is exactly...

Right, you've given me a great example of what makes things

difficult for yourselves. So we're talking about costume

and you've talked about who's coming to your house at nine o'clock...

-No, but...

-..and who's bringing straighteners. Whoa!

I didn't say... I didn't want... I don't want them to come,

they just said they would.

But that's fine. But, right, what me and Julie

don't need to do... We've got our own friends,

we don't need to get involved in all your business of who's meeting where

and who's having their hair done at whose house and who lives where,

when, which, where, what, whatever - that's for you to sort out.

We want to sort your costume and we haven't yet,

So it's those sorts of things that you have to keep outside.

That's like your own sort of friendly business.

I just wanted to say that so...

So at the moment, all I'm bothered about is your costume.

-OK.

-So...

EVERYONE TALKS AT ONCE

Shh, girls, let's not go down that road again.

We've just been there, stop.

-Listen to me, girls.

-Last question.

Last minute, last minute.

We're going to run out of time.

My hairy fingers, do we like the green?

-ALL:

-No.

Ha-ha!

I think that cheerleading's very fun and entertaining

because it gives you... keeps you fit.

HE CHANTS

What do you even do there, like, in cheerleading?

You cheerlead.

It's a bit like dance.

You put on a show, with lifts and dance moves.

They jump quite a lot with the human pyramids

and then they throw them up and then catch them.

-I think it's like pompoms.

-Attitude.

You have to do star jumps.

You're just going, "E, R, E, R, E, Z, R," jump!

Sometimes it can involve pompoms.

Don't you, like, get blue and white dresses?

It's like a dance, really, but you get lifted and, like, pompoms

and stuff, and skirts and stuff like that.

-Sounds really boring.

-You would be good.

It's for girls.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hello.

'It's the first comic book club meeting and the boys have

'managed to double their numbers.'

Four people.

'And I've got some exciting news.'

In this envelope...

-Is it tickets?

-..we have some tickets to go to Comic Con.

-What?

-What?

'If you're going to go to a comic convention, surely you need

'to dress up as superheroes?'

You guys now, the task needs to become

about you guys designing those characters for your...

We're going to look like dorks.

How do you know you're going to look like...?

We're dorks just for coming here.

It's Comic Con! Everybody will be dorks!

Isn't that the idea of comic book club?

-Are you excited about going to Comic Con?

-Yes.

-Good.

'The boys set to work designing costumes for the big day.

'Let's hope they can come up with some original ideas.'

Mine's going to be...I'm drawing a circle and an X, and that's X-Men.

Mine's going to be a little logo like that,

like a diamond shape with an S in it. Oh, wait, that's Superman.

I'm going to have a bat backpack.

THEY LAUGH

It's Callum!

That is not me!

I got the eyes.

I thought you said you was a good drawer?

I am!

Despite a lot of mucking about,

I think they're starting to get somewhere.

Our cheerleaders are taking a break from rehearsals to work on

another important aspect of their routine - trust.

To have a good team, people have to trust each other

and not argue as much.

'Quite right, Hayley, especially if you're going to attempt

'throwing people up in the air.'

Yes! Done it, wicked.

'I think they've got the idea. Time to take it a step further -

'bring out the blindfolds.'

-What if a bull comes into the room?

-A bull?

-Yeah.

'I don't think there's any bulls around here.

'Anyway, one thing I know about these girls is they love to talk,

'so this exercise is all about communication.'

So you just step up.

'It was scary a bit because, like, we had to go with someone that

'we didn't really know as much'

and, like, we had to wear blindfolds and walk on the tables.

Big step, big step up. All right, all right, one step.

All they told us was, like, "Go a little bit further, go left,

"go right," and that's all they told us.

Oh, careful, careful! Jump.

Feet together.

This is hard.

I was like, "I'm going to fall off the tables."

Julie is going to sort a lift out now where you just

all stand on each other's shoulders cos you trust each other.

-What?!

-Up to six people high.

Not happening, girls, that's not happening.

'Maybe something a little simpler to start off with.

'Armed with this new level of confidence, Julie gets the girls

'to perform their first lift.'

From here, you're holding the legs,

you're going to come up and a little bit forward.

OK, one, two, three, jump up.

Straight. Lock, lock, lock your elbows.

Can you push up? Push up, push up.

-Straight arms.

-That's it.

So you've got to try and push yourself up.

You need to hold her. Have you got her waist?

-You're next.

-Yeah, I was going to say, is it your turn?

OK, and bring her down.

Brilliant, well done.

It was quite scary.

It's lunchtime and the boys have been unleashed

into the playground to let off some steam.

But as the boys head back inside, Callum's friends Jack and Reiss

comes to blows and Callum is quick to jump the rescue.

He decides to take Jack to see the school's youth worker, Sean.

Jack was very upset at the time so Callum was very supportive

and he brought him down to my room.

It found out that there was an incident between Jack

and Reiss and Callum was in the middle

and wanted to sort it out because he's friends with both of the boys.

I know how it feels to get bullied and it's not very nice,

so luckily there's not much here.

Right, then...

Tell me what exactly happened at breaktime.

The reason why I hit him is cos I saw his hand go behind me...

-Yeah.

-..on his shadow and I felt something hit off my back

and I thought he had punched me in my back or something.

OK, so you've seen the shadow.

Yeah, and thought he had hit me.

But you didn't feel anything?

No, I felt something hit me.

OK, so you felt something.

-And where did he punch you?

-Right here.

Right there. Are you OK?

Yeah? OK.

-Sorry, Reiss.

-Good lad, but you've got to keep hands to yourself.

I'm just saying this in general, OK?

We don't tolerate that behaviour at this school.

All three of you are good friends, aren't you?

-Yeah.

-Me and Reiss since nursery.

Yeah? So, are we able to forget this?

Yeah, put it down to a bit of a misunderstanding, OK?

I'm glad you've apologised, OK?

I think it was just a little mess around that just got out of hand.

It's got out of hand, yeah. I think that as well.

OK, I'm glad you're OK,

-and I'm really pleased with you for bringing Jack up to me...

-Uh-huh.

..and protecting him. You know, that's really, really good from you.

-Good friendship.

-It is, and that's what you need, that's what you need

when you go to secondary school.

OK, so can we have a group hug or a group handshake

and "really sorry", yeah?

Yeah?

Well done, boys. You're growing up.

It's fun, isn't it, growing up?

It's after school and the cheerleaders are in the canteen.

They're getting ready to perform their routine for the first time

in front of other talent show wannabes.

Julie's been teaching the girls a new lift which,

surprise, surprise, is causing the team a few problems.

I need someone in front of me.

The role everyone, like, really thinks of our cheerleading is

-when you get thrown up in the air like...

-The high flyer.

Yeah. Like, Vanessa would want to get lifted then Kiara would want

to get lifted and then, like, Millie would start crying and then

Shelby or someone will start crying because they can't get lifted.

Every time, like, someone got something wrong...

But some people were like, "You're doing that wrong,

"you need to go and watch us first,"

and then, like, they got into a big argument and everything.

Loads of them were like, "I'm the boss, I'm telling you what to do."

It just seemed like everybody wanted to be thrown,

everybody wanted to be thrown up.

OK, time's up. Let's see how the routine is coming along.

That looks all right! I'm enjoying this.

Thank you, Ashley.

Girls, so, do this like you're trying to win a competition,

not that you're just trying to get out of here.

OK, go again.

Aww!

ECHOING VOICE: Meanwhile, across town in the suburb of Metropolis...

Well, Birmingham,

our two young superheroes set out on a quest

to create the ultimate costume for their trip to Comic Con.

Meet...

Oh, that's really good.

And...

I got fabric pens and I'm not afraid to use 'em.

There we go, the cape is done.

The idea for my design for Comic Con is like animatronic

kind of things, like Chuck E Cheese.

This is Freddie. He's the main one in the band.

This is Bonnie, just Freddie's friend.

And this is Chica. She's the girl and the back-up singer.

And this is Springtrap.

He's basically been forgotten about for 30 years and he's moulded away.

This is my logo. It's like an L in front of a yellow blob

and it looked cool on the logo, so over here.

But will our superheroes will be ready in time?

-Do you know what I've just noticed?

-What?

I've done it backwards.

Have you?!

Oh, no!

Finally, the day has arrived. Ludecris and Springtrap,

driven by Mum and Dad, are ready to make their debut as superheroes,

and they're in excellent company.

As a bit of a geek myself, this place looks like paradise.

Oh, look at that woman!

A normal person. The best costume ever, a normal person.

Oh, my God, crazy-looking people.

Dan look behind you.

Groot is approaching.

In another part of the arena, a fight is drawing in the crowds.

Imagine if it flipped turning those over.

What a Ludecris idea.

Maybe start with something a bit smaller,

like this ferocious little dustpan robot.

Oops!

I crashed the robot once and the guy said, "Be careful."

When he had a go, he crashed it, like, ten times.

After all the excitement, the boys make their way to visit artist

Lee Bradley, who's about to bring their comic book alter egos to life.

It's really exciting seeing somebody draw, like, my best friend

as a superhero right in front of me.

Whoa, that's really cool.

I've never seen that, like, a skin-colour pen before.

It's nice to know all the tools he uses for it as well, so...

-Pens.

-Yes.

That's all the tools that he uses.

But he used that really inky one on the side.

It's a pen.

It's the moment our superheroes have been waiting for,

as Lee hands over his masterpieces.

The boys are speechless.

I think that means they're impressed.

Thank you.

-They're awesome.

-Really good.

I like how he did all them, like, the miniature things here as well,

and your jeans.

So, it sounds like you've had a really good day, boys.

Yes, we're a part of something here.

We've found our community.

And it's a growing community.

Comic book club is going from strength to strength.

When these guys started at secondary school, they had no idea

there would be so many amazing things to try out and as

they've discovered, if you give things a go

and put in a bit of effort,

you'll find yourself being a part of something really special.

OK, we're getting somewhere!

We meet Sam...

CLARINET SQUEAKS

..who's hoping to finally put down roots.

All my life it's been feeling like you're living in a box

because you have to pack up, unpack, pack up.

And identical twins Josh and Dan...

-I'm going to make a noise this time.

-TAP! TAP!

..who struggle with their emotions.

What will happen when Josh asks Sam on a date?

Would you like to go out?

Remember when you used to, like, laugh when we said washing machine?

SHE GIGGLES

She used to wet herself every time someone said washing machine.

I don't know, it's just a funny word.

Don't you think it's a funny word, washing machine?

What is so funny about the word washing machine?

The object is, you put your clothes in the washing machine to wash.

Yeah, but it's a funny word.

Ooh, tap water!