In It to Win It Our School

Meet Year 7.

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.

HE BLOWS RASPBERRY With so many changes...

..new friends...

-Have you got a cloth?

-..and new teachers...

You are a Greenwood boy.

..it's an exciting world to discover.

-Wow!

-Phew!

It can be fun.

But sometimes it can be tough.

There are different challenges for everybody.

We're in Year 7 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?

Because this is awesome.

..so you can find out exactly what happens.

You're on report by my request.

I'm Trev. HE LAUGHS

I used to go to school here.

But now, I'm one of the teachers.

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

Welcome to Our School.

-STUDENT:

-I need a wee!

It's been a big year for our students.

-OK, good morning Year 7.

-Good morning.

Since their apprehensive arrival back in September...

Who was nervous on their first day of school?

..they've all begun to find their feet...

..and settle into a new school.'

I can boogie all night!

They've made lots of new friends

and got to know a few of the teachers quite well.

-Final warning to you.

-Instant detention.

-And of course...

-We are preparing you for the exam.

-..there's been a lot of learning going on.

-3X plus 15 equals 36.

But secondary school isn't just about maths, English and science.

There are lots more opportunities

to try out all sorts of different activities.

-Sports clubs...

-Get in front of her!

Drama and music clubs.

Even comic book clubs.

Bam!

I'm responsible for music, drama and after-school activities.

And I think this lot are ready for the biggest challenge of the year.

I know that this year is just full of talent.

There is talent coming out of your ears, so...

'I want them to enter the big Year 7 talent show,

'where in just seven weeks' time,

'they'll perform in front of hundreds of their fellow students

'and three guest judges.'

And the final's always a really great event in the hall

with about 350 people coming to watch, coming to support,

your friends and family.

OK, thank you.

'Challenge set.'

Today on Our School...

HE RAPS

..as the whole of Year 7 begin to prepare for the event of the year,

we'll meet Shannon.

# Oh, oh, oh!

THEY LAUGH

And Ameera.

-Yeah, yeah!

-Something.

And we'll be following Taylor-Jay.

-Sir, sir. Sir!

-Whoa, whoa!

Taylor-Jay, you need to calm down.

-Taylor's certainly used to being the centre of attention.

-Boom!

-And whilst she's always entertaining in class...

-Aw!

# You never brought me flowers... #

..she also performs outside of lessons

in our school's very own recording studio.

# So late that my heart feels nothing, nothing at all. #

I love music.

I've made my own CD.

'In ten years' time, I could be walking the red carpet'

with Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Beyonce, you never know.

So, it won't surprise you to know that Taylor is the first

to sign up for the talent show.

You might remember the cheerleaders have been working as a team

for weeks now, and they've entered their new routine in the show.

-You go at back there.

-No, no!

If they can just stop arguing.

No!

When we're doing a practice, a lot of time gets wasted on,

like, arguing and saying about how she's not lifting properly

or that looks stupid.

"Oh, no, we shouldn't do that, we should do something like this."

It looks to me like there's an awful lot of practising to do

before they'll be able to perform on the big stage

and stand any chance of winning the competition.

Come in, Spencer. Take a seat.

'Spencer's singing voice has won him two talent shows in primary school.'

-What are you going to sing?

-Don't know. I like Ed Sheeran.

Thinking Out Loud? Let's try it.

-What, do it now?

-Yeah, wait until it kicks in.

-MUSIC PLAYS

-Oh, my God, I'm really nervous.

-I can't!

-Why?

-Because.

-What have you got?

If you've won two talent shows, you can't be that shy.

Don't know, I'm just really nervous.

'Despite having an early bout of nerves,

'his track record tells me he might be one of the favourites to win.'

Girls, come over.

'Samantha and Megan have been trying to convince Ameera

'to become the third member of their band.'

So, Sam and Megan were doing it before, and you...? Yeah.

They wanted me to join.

-Do you want to join?

-Er, don't know.

-Do it, do it!

-Do it, do it! Come on, please. For me?

OK, are you going to have a go at Blank Space?

'Having agreed to join the girl band,

'Ameera will have to squeeze rehearsals

'into her already busy day.

'At school, she's one of the hardest working pupils in Year 7.'

-So, what is 17 x 17?

-289.

-Very nice.

'And the learning doesn't stop when she gets home to her mum,

'dad and two sisters in the evenings.'

-Do you know what 9 x 10 is?

-Yeah, 90.

How do you know that?

After school, I do maths, GCSE,

English...

Sometimes I do my Arabic work.

SHE SPEAKS ARABIC

She don't have a break, she just does work, work, work, work,

work, work, work!

'After all that studying, there's helping Mum around the house.'

Sometimes I do get annoyed with how much work we do.

But sometimes my mum says you don't have to do it if you don't want to.

It's just that my mum wants me to do well, that's why.

But GCSEs?

It's not that hard.

'Performing in a girl band will certainly be

'a new experience for Ameera.'

I just want to hear you sing today, so I don't mind. We can sing

-Twinkle Twinkle Little Star if you want.

-No!

'So now, our school's answer to Little Mix sing together

'for the very first time.'

-OK, I'll sit on the floor, Sam.

-Yeah, me too.

Why are you hiding down on the floor?

We weren't that confident so we just, like, sat behind the tables

and sang so he couldn't see us.

Someone be brave and just start doing it.

If someone starts doing it, I'll join in.

-Sam, would you start off?

-Wow!

-Please?

-Yes, I will.

-Yes.

-Ready?

SONG STARTS PLAYING

# Nice to meet you, were you been?

# I can show you incredible things... #

THEY MUMBLE

'That's a start, girls.

'But I think you'll have to work on your confidence.'

What are you going to sing?

I've been thinking about doing Read All About It.

-Emeli Sande?

-Yeah.

-Oh, I'm scared now.

-Don't be scared yet.

-I'm getting nervous!

'Shannon loves singing,

'and despite her shyness, has signed up for the show.'

I was going to dedicate it to my brother because he passed away

when he was quite young.

She lives at home with her mum and dad and since a young age,

helped care for her brother, Michael.

There's the one of Michael, we have it in the living room

because that's, like, the best picture we've got of him.

It was him in a tux.

'When Michael was three-days-old, he had three heart attacks.'

So, ever since then, he was disabled.

That was the day on the beach.

There's you, you kept putting sand on him.

-I wanted to build him into a sandcastle!

-So, what did he do?

There was a bottle of pop by his feet

and he kicked the bottle of pop and it went all over you.

-It was just dripping over your head.

-SHE LAUGHS

'Every day, I'd walk into his room, give him a kiss on the cheek'

and say, "Good morning, Michael." Open his curtains and everything.

And I learned to put his feed on

and I learned how to do his medicines and everything.

But in the summer before she started Year 7,

Shannon's family had to face tragedy.

My brother passed away in the six-week holiday.

So it's been really hard for me

to go through the changes, to go to secondary school.

But honestly, I kept thinking to myself, well, if I think about it,

right, I'm just going to leave my home issues at home

and I'm going to try and

basically start a new life at secondary school.

I was able to do it, but it's just got so much

that I carried on juggling everything, and eventually,

I just dropped everything and I couldn't do it.

So at school, I did break down quite a lot.

The stress of losing her brother

and starting a new school has meant that Shannon's confidence is low.

-How are you feeling today?

-All right.

-OK?

Yeah, it's been an all right week.

Since September, Sharon has been working with

teaching assistant Vicki in B2A.

We're going to do a mood chart first,

see how you've been feeling today.

'B2A means Believe To Achieve and it's a place for people

'who have bereavement issues, anger issues,'

social anxiety.

And I got a letter sent home that I needed to be in B2A

and I was kind of shocked.

I was like, "Why do I need to be in B2A?"

'But I'm happy that Believe To Achieve is here

'because without them, I wouldn't have been able to

'deal with the grief of losing my brother.'

OK, so the next one is,

-"How does your body show that you're unhappy?"

-My hands shake a lot.

-And my...

-Yeah, and your shoulders are a bit down, aren't they?

Yeah, I usually slouch a lot as well.

'I think she's had to deal with quite a lot.'

Especially coming up to Year 7 and dealing with a bereavement.

But she talks quite openly, which is really good.

And it's a real credit to her, really.

So, how much of the time do you feel unhappy? How much?

Say in a week, in one week, how many times do you feel unhappy?

Erm, about two days out of seven now cos it used to be like five.

That's quite a large cut down.

And so, you're able to cope with it a lot better. Good.

And why is that? What's the difference?

Cos I think it's because I've found, like,

found hobbies and things.

Cos I do sing every night, so it...

Even when I had a really bad throat on Wednesday,

I was in my bedroom singing to myself, so...

Good, good.

If that's the way it helps you get, you know, it releases you,

it makes you happy, then, you know,

whatever it takes for you to make you happy.

'I always see a smile on her face'

but she must be hurting so much inside.

'But she's got something in there that's bursting to come out,

'like creativity.

'Like, her art and her poems, there's just something'

that's just waiting to go pow,

and hopefully we'll see that in Greenwood.

Over in the main hall...

# Go ahead and tell them Tell them I was happy... #

Rehearsals for the big talent show are underway.

-Ugh! It's not going right.

-That was...

-No, it wasn't!

But as usual, the cheerleaders are still spending

more time arguing than practising.

THEY TALK OVER EACH OTHER

-ALL:

-# Baby, my heart could still fall as hard at 23. #

'Meanwhile, Megan, Sam and Ameera are now up on their feet

'and in full flow.'

# People fall in love in mysterious ways. #

Bit louder for me.

# Maybe just the touch of your hand. #

'They have potential,

'but I want to hear what they sound like singing solo.'

Would you sing on your own? I want to hear you separately.

Who's first?

-I'm not going first, then.

-OK, I'll go first.

'How about that?

'Ameera wasn't even going to enter the talent show

'when I first announced it.

'Now she's brave enough to attempt singing solo.'

Just the first bit, though.

Well, I'll tell you when to stop cos I'm kind of... Hmm, yes.

-You'll tell me when to stop?

-Kind of.

-What if I want to hear more?

-That was like...

-So, nice and confident. You have an audience.

No, I...

# No, I can't take one more step towards you. #

Good.

# Cos all that's waiting is regret. #

-Very low, isn't it?

-Yeah.

# And don't you know I'm not your ghost any more

# You lost the love I loved the most. #

You've got a really nice tone to your voice, really strong.

Cos I think there's one thing singing in a group,

but it's a bit harder to do it on your own, I think.

But if you do that, I just think that your confidence then

will just go through the roof.

'Following Ameera's lead, Sam sings next.'

-# Cause I'm cruising...

-# Can't stop, won't stop moving

-Yes!

-Ah! Oh, my God, I'm not doing that again.

# In my mind, singing it's going to be all right. #

So, you have got a dance to it? Was that a made-up dance?

-Yeah, pretty much. # Cos I'm going to...#

-Whoa!

-Just dropped 10p.

-Yay!

Shouldn't I be throwing money at you?

OK, hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on.

-So, is this dance you've worked out at home, yeah?

-Yeah.

OK, that's cool.

So, why don't you just do a dance separately?

-Yeah.

-What do you think?

-Yeah.

Yeah, so you don't have to worry about singing it.

OK, work on the dance.

'Sam's energetic dance routine

'and Ameera's brave solo performance has impressed their friend Megan.'

But while some people are rehearsing hard...

Oh, I forgot the words!

..Spencer hasn't yet shown up to any rehearsals.

And neither has Shannon.

Having signed up for the talent show,

she's now having second thoughts.

And youth worker Sean wants to find out what the problem is.

-How do you feel?

-I'm scared.

-What are you scared for?

I'm scared that, like, when I'm singing, I'm going to like,

my voice is going to break in the middle of it or something.

'I do feel like I might drop out.

'I'll be embarrassed in front of everyone.'

And, like, I'm really scared that if I mess up, everyone's

going to see me different and, like, everyone's going to make fun of me.

It's just a bit nerve-racking.

My idea is for you to build a little bit of confidence.

It will help you long-term.

Shannon's a lack of confidence seems to be holding her back.

And in Believe To Achieve,

Vicki has come up with an idea that she hopes might help.

She wants her to write a message to her brother on a balloon

and release it into the air.

-IT POPS

-Whoa!

That's not the best start.

Luckily, Vicki's got another balloon.

IT POPS

-It happened again!

-SHE GIGGLES

Enter the last balloon. Don't burst this one.

Shannon finally gets to write her a message to Michael.

"You'll always be remembered."

And they head outside to release it.

So, when we have a thought or a feeling, sometimes we're going to,

sometimes you just want to, like, say it and let it go.

Sort of thing, so...

"You will always be remembered, Michael."

Oop! Bye!

-That didn't work, did it?

-SHE LAUGHS

I think I gained a lot out of it by letting the balloon go in the air.

And I feel like I can just finally

not stress about it too much.

And I think that's what Vicki

tries to help me do, and I think she has really helped me.

'She's quite mature inside.

'I think she understands her body and her mind quite well.

'Which, you know, with the things she's gone through,

'I suppose she's had to

'grow up and face them fears early on.'

# You never brought me flowers. #

By now, rehearsals are in full swing.

And Taylor-Jay shows them all how it's done.

# Heart feels nothing Nothing at all. #

'I enjoy it when I'm on stage'

because I've got the confidence.

Sam's practising her dance routine with Julie.

-MUSIC: Shake It Off by Taylor Swift

-OK, keep going.

But it's not going so well for everyone.

# I give you all... #

OK, OK. That started off bad.

It got better and then when you did the "Oooh"...

That didn't work great.

'In the main hall, acts are rehearsing on the big stage.

'And Ameera is up next to practise in front of an audience

'for the first time.'

Ameera?

-No.

-Not yet?

-No, not yet.

-All right.

-At the end, we'll do it.

Why have you gone scared, girls?

I can't sing in front of these people.

-Why?

-Because...

-You'll be perfectly fine.

Do you want to get through everyone else first

-and then get rid of people?

-Yes.

Yeah, we'll do that for today only.

'That's worrying. There are only a few people watching this rehearsal.

'Ameera is going to have to overcome her nerves quickly

'if she's to perform in front of a full audience on the big night.'

Moving into positions. Five, six, seven, eight.

One, two, three, four, five...

'The cheerleaders have made it onto the big stage.'

Two, three, four...

'But there's still tension within the group,

'and its showing in their performance.'

Three, two, one. Smiles!

THEY GIGGLE

-If I don't hold you...

-OK, so...

I think you could do with a bit more of a smiley face..

Are you worried about something over there?

Whatever goes on before your audition,

your face needs to tell the judges that you love this and you love

coming to cheerleading cos it's such a fun time for everybody.

So, that's not going to happen if our faces look like this.

OK?

'Trevor was trying to make everyone smile'

and we weren't in the mood to smile at all.

I couldn't smile, I was like,

"No."

Go.

See, you've got a forced smile there.

OK, get your arms out.

One, two, three, drop.

OK, better.

'It's going to take a lot of work'

with the cheerleading team to get the routine, like,

as we want it to be.

One, two, three, four...

'But we could have a rehearsal and everything could, like,

'go so well and then like, on the actual, like day...'

Someone might break her ankle.

-Someone might break the ankle or something.

-Or break their neck.

Oh, Taylor! Oh, my God!

Let's hope things don't get that bad, girls.

-TEACHER:

-Keep your voice down. Get started on your work.

Please continue, Darnell,

because I'd love to have you back for detention.

Or you could just do your work.

'Another one of my big hopefuls for the talent show hasn't shown up

'for any of the rehearsals.'

Hi, Miss, can I just grab Spencer for two minutes? Is that OK?

-Spencer?

-Thanks very much.

'I want to find out why he hasn't been practising for the competition.

'Especially since he used to do so well

'in his primary school talent shows.'

-And you won that?

-Yeah, twice.

-Twice. Two years running?

-Yeah.

So, for me, all this is kind of the same thing but bigger.

-But just like 100 more people.

-But you're a performer.

You like doing this sort of stuff,

like, you're excited about the fact there's all lights

and the sound system and mics and everything like that.

Yeah, well, I want to do it but, like,

I don't know because I don't want to mess up, don't want to go wrong.

Well, that's why I just quite want

to just hear a little bit of this song, really.

I like this song and I think it will suit you.

I've got to sing this now?

-Just for me, just kind of pretend no-one else is here.

-Oh, OK.

MUSIC PLAYS

-So I've got to do it now, then?

-You've got to do it now! Ready?

# You know I'm not one to break promises. #

Love it, that's good.

# I don't want to hurt you but I need to breathe

# At the end of it all You're still my best friend. #

Just enjoy it, it's good.

# But there's something inside that I need to release. #

Bow down to you.

It's that good.

-You really are, you've got a really nice tone to your voice.

-Thanks.

Confidence, you've won stuff in the past.

The only problem is just getting you to come to rehearsals.

I just, I'm imagining your talent show and I'm imagining

all your year and people that know you going, "He's good, isn't he?"

And people who've never heard you sing before just going like,

"Wow!" Cos it's good.

I like singing, it's like a passion to me.

I can see that.

Like, if I'm annoyed at someone or I'm not in a good mood, like,

singing will basically cheer me up, like.

-But like...

-Good to hear.

I just think that if you go out and sing as well is you sang,

perform it, love it, lap it up, you're saying it's a passion,

then show it's a passion.

-I'm up for it, yeah.

-Up for it!

-See, I'm putting up a fight against Taylor, I am.

-That's cool, though.

Because like, everyone is like,

"Oh, I might be the best boy singer in Year 7 and like,

they're like, "Taylor's the best girl singer"

so I'm putting up a fight.

But that's what you've got to do, isn't it?

You've just got to dive in, go for it.

If you're giving it some when you're singing that song...

I mean, I'm going to try my best and like, give it all I've got

because, like, I'm in it to win it.

Sick!

That's really cool that you're in it to win it.

'It looks like I've managed to change Spencer's mind.

'He's up for it now and he's got Taylor-Jay in his sights.'

# I feel love when I see your face

# But all these thoughts I can't replace

# Sorry, honey Sorry, honey

# But we'll have to start again. #

'It's the final day of rehearsals before the talent show

'and things are starting to come together for everyone.'

Spencer! Spencer!

# I'm not the one to break promises. #

Yay!

'Finally, Spencer puts in an appearance.

'And like Taylor-Jay, his performance is going down a storm.'

# And it feels like I am just too close to love you. #

'And at the last moment,

'even the cheerleaders are working well together as a team.

'And smiling!'

Seven, eight. Two, two!

'Thanks for that, Leo.'

Where do I have to hold this? Here?

Yeah, just relax. Stand on that cross.

Just give it a go.

'Up on stage in the main hall,

'it's Ameera's last chance to get it right before the big event.'

MUSIC PLAYS

-Er, can I start again?

-Yeah. So, it starts straightaway.

Start again. OK. Ready?

# No, I can't take one more step towards you. #

Yes!

# Cos all that's waiting is regret

# And don't you know I'm not your ghost any more

# You lost the love I love the most

# I learned to live half alive

# And now you want me one more time. #

You've made, like, the most incredible journey.

In fact, you didn't even sing the first time I've seen you, like.

-I know!

-I don't even think you were supposed to be there, were you?

-No.

-You joined in.

And then you've gone from that to singing on your own,

just stood at the computer

and not really having a huge amount of confidence.

And then you're up there doing it, in a big hall like this.

-And, like, with confidence as well.

-Thank you.

You've got really good control over your voice.

I think that you've got a really strong chance of doing

-really well in the talent show.

-Thank you.

-Well done, you should be really proud.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

'How amazing!

'Ameera has gone from being a nervous member of Sam's girl group

'to standing on stage alone and giving a great performance.

It finally seems we've got everybody over their nerves

and ready for the big show.

All except one.

Despite all our efforts to talk Shannon into performing,

she still hasn't been to one rehearsal.

And even though Sean, Vicki and I all think

performing in the talent show might really boost her confidence,

I've now heard she's dropped out completely.

You suggested earlier that you didn't want to do

the talent show any more.

And I'd quite like to know why and see

if there's anything we can do to kind of sway you a little bit.

I don't think there is.

I think I just rushed into it too fast without thinking.

-Hello, Sean.

-Hello.

-I mentioned to Sean that you were a bit worried.

So, what are your concerns, then?

See, the thing was, the reason I didn't want to do it was

because I didn't actually care about winning the talent show

when I first heard about it.

What I wanted to do was sing and dedicate it to my brother.

And if it wasn't good enough, like, I would have been upset

cos it wasn't good enough for my brother.

That's a fair thing to say.

The fact that you're not doing it to win it,

that says something really good about you as well to me.

Cos it's about you doing it for other reasons.

Cos it is a competition, but actually, this is so cliche,

but it is the taking part.

Cos that gives you so much more.

Getting a little trophy at the end

and saying, "I've won," is all right.

But actually, the elation and the buzz that you'll get

from doing it is worth a whole lot more.

Number one, do it for yourself.

Number two, do it for your bro.

Number three, do it for me cos I'll be gutted if you're not there.

Next time on Our School...

The talent show!

..will Shannon pluck up the courage to step into the limelight?

Will Spencer manage to beat favourite Taylor-Jay?

In first place...

And after weeks of gruelling rehearsals...

I twisted my ankle whilst playing dodge ball in PE.

..disaster strikes the cheerleaders.

-IMITATES ELMER FUDD:

-I did, I did! I caught a rabbit!

"Hello. My name's Wensley."

-My hair's better than yours.

-No, look at yours!

Mate, you look like some frog with hair.

SHE GIGGLES

"If I see anyone else with chewing gum or something,

"you'll get a red card."

-THEY LAUGH

-Carry on!

Can you cut that part out?