0:00:32 > 0:00:36High School follows a year in the life of Holyrood Secondary School.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39- No, it's a nightmare. So embarrassing.- What's happening?!
0:00:39 > 0:00:40Bang! OK?
0:00:42 > 0:00:45- Showing the ups... - SCREAMING
0:00:46 > 0:00:48..and downs.
0:00:48 > 0:00:49Nah.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51The triumphs...
0:00:53 > 0:00:56- ..and the tears... - I feel like crap.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59..as the school battles to keep standards high...
0:00:59 > 0:01:02You're not going into the school - this is not Holyrood.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04..keep the show on the road...
0:01:04 > 0:01:07He continues to defy us and to truant from school.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11..and make it a successful year in one of Europe's biggest schools.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14My instincts just say, "Punch him right in the mouth."
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Today is the first day of the new academic year.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Holyrood Roman Catholic School is on the south side
0:01:24 > 0:01:26of inner-city Glasgow,
0:01:26 > 0:01:30and every morning, headmaster Tom McDonald greets
0:01:30 > 0:01:32the students as they arrive.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38In Holyrood, we have just about 2,000 children.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42That includes about 400 starting for the very first time.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46You certainly realise that young peoples' future is in your hands.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50My job and the staff's job is supporting them to realise
0:01:50 > 0:01:54those ambitions and dreams which they have for themselves.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Good morning. Good morning.
0:01:57 > 0:01:591-6, hands up.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Two rows, excellent.
0:02:01 > 0:02:041-7, two rows. And 1-8. Brilliant.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Bernadette O'Shea is in charge of 1st Year.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11It's a huge job to get all the new starts settled.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14I think they're feeling quite anxious about it.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16They've put on the blazer, they've put on the uniform.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20They're now officially part of Holyrood's community, Holyrood's family,
0:02:20 > 0:02:22so they'll be nervous, but we'll do our best
0:02:22 > 0:02:25to get round all the classes to make sure they're settled.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27Good morning, boys and girls.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29ALL: Good morning, Mr McDonald.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Is there someone out there? Good morning, boys and girls.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34LOUDER: Good morning, Mr McDonald.
0:02:34 > 0:02:35Because it's so big,
0:02:35 > 0:02:37the whole school can't physically fit into one place.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41While the 1st Years settle in,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45the 6th formers only have one thing on their minds - who is going
0:02:45 > 0:02:49to be voted this year's Head Boy and Head Girl.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Danny is very much in the running for Head Boy.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54It starts off, you apply for it
0:02:54 > 0:02:57and certain of the people get through according to the teachers.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00The people who get through do a speech to...
0:03:00 > 0:03:03I think it's just our year group, and then they vote
0:03:03 > 0:03:08and whoever they think's talked the best, made the best points, gets in.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14There's Max, who's a genius, teachers love him and he knows it.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17So I think this year they're trying to find the best mix.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21Someone who's a good speaker and is still popular.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24You don't want an elected captain who nobody likes, so...
0:03:26 > 0:03:29- Another Head Boy contender is Hash. - I like to see myself
0:03:29 > 0:03:31as Barack Obama, to be honest.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34I think if he can do it, why can't I do it?
0:03:34 > 0:03:36I don't think it should be that hard.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38Hopefully it's not a popularity contest.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41The right person should be chosen.
0:03:41 > 0:03:46Cos if it was a popularity contest, obviously, I would win!
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Competition amongst the girls is also fierce
0:03:52 > 0:03:56and Sadia has thrown her hat into the ring.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59I'm not the brainiest in the school but that's not what
0:03:59 > 0:04:00it's about. You don't need to be brainy to be
0:04:00 > 0:04:04a prefect or Head Girl, it's what you do in the school that counts.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08Leonie is also keen to try for Head Girl at Holyrood.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11I knew that I wanted to be like a prefect, I knew that.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15So really, from there I thought that just give back to
0:04:15 > 0:04:18the school because they've given me so much support through the years.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21I thought it was only fair to do my part and give back to them
0:04:21 > 0:04:23and help make this a really good 6th year.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29The 1st Years start by looking at their goals in life.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32Today is about, just, you know, giving them some kind of goal,
0:04:32 > 0:04:36some sense there's more to school than just learning the "three Rs",
0:04:36 > 0:04:39that, you know, this is about gearing them up for life.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43So we're going to look as our aspirations and our ambitions
0:04:43 > 0:04:48and maybe our desires for our time at Holyrood and beyond. OK?
0:04:48 > 0:04:51- What do you want to be? - Eh, a footballer.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53- I want to be a football player. - Football player.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56- Football.- A footballer or a joiner.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01If I just... If I get good grades in this subject and that,
0:05:01 > 0:05:03I'll be whatever I'm allowed.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08I'm really not, "Oh, I want to be the best person".
0:05:08 > 0:05:11I'm not really a bragger.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13I'm just who I am.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15That makes me who I am.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Pastoral teacher John is keeping a special eye on one of
0:05:19 > 0:05:24the 1st Years called Liam, who has Asperger's syndrome.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27In a sort of way, it's kind of an advantage.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32For instance, I'm... I have a higher reading intelligence
0:05:32 > 0:05:36than anyone in my class or my whole year group, you could say.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41I mean, I was reading full nursery stories to my nursery school
0:05:41 > 0:05:45when I was only four and I can imagine that...
0:05:45 > 0:05:47They were all gobsmacked.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50And I did it with expression as a full-grown adult would
0:05:50 > 0:05:54to their children, when they were reading them a bedtime story.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58But in a way, it's also got its down sides.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02Sometimes I've got no sense of humour when someone tells me a joke.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05I don't get the punch line and I can imagine how annoying that is.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08If you actually have no sense of humour, you're more likely
0:06:08 > 0:06:12to be sticking out from the crowd and be alienated
0:06:12 > 0:06:17and that's one thing I definitely want to avoid.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Liam's an interesting wee boy. He's full of energy.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24He's... He's always wanting to contribute to class discussions.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26He's...
0:06:26 > 0:06:32And I think he's becoming pretty well accepted by his peer group.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35I think in terms of supporting him, social integration because
0:06:35 > 0:06:38quite often Asperger's children can find themselves isolated.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43Maybe they don't fit in with a particular crowd of children.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Although I have seen him with other children, you know,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48so he clearly has come with a group of friends from his school,
0:06:48 > 0:06:51who know him well and will support him too.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53And we also have to give him opportunities to stand out
0:06:53 > 0:06:56and shine just as we would do for any other children in 1st Year.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59That's difficult when you've got 400 of them!
0:07:01 > 0:07:04Even though it is a Roman Catholic school,
0:07:04 > 0:07:08a number of Holyrood's kids come from a non-Catholic background.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Head-boy contender Hash
0:07:10 > 0:07:15is getting involved collecting for flood victims in Pakistan.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18The school's always been welcoming to any faith.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23I myself am a Muslim, he's a Sikh, he's a Sikh.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27But the school says we have respect towards every religion.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Like, for example, just now Ramadan's going on
0:07:30 > 0:07:31and we get Friday afternoons,
0:07:31 > 0:07:35we get an hour or two off to go to mosque to do our prayers, but
0:07:35 > 0:07:39we also participate in... We have masses too in which we go to.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42In the five years, and this is my sixth year in this school,
0:07:42 > 0:07:46I've not one day faced any racism towards my religion.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47None whatsoever.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Vice-head Tony is helping organise today's collection.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55I'll put that in my office just now, just to keep it safe...
0:07:55 > 0:07:58- A bit more from me. - Oh, good girl, very generous.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00Right, any more? Thank you very much.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03The children in school are very generous.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07Unfortunately, some of the children think that they have to put
0:08:07 > 0:08:10pounds in, when in actual fact their loose change is really
0:08:10 > 0:08:13all that we're looking for because in such a big school, it all
0:08:13 > 0:08:18adds up to so much and normally we can get very significant sums.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22Sadia is also in the thick of helping today and she's
0:08:22 > 0:08:27already a popular frontrunner in the race to become Head Girl.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30Right, so we've got £614.75
0:08:30 > 0:08:33CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:08:37 > 0:08:39One of the biggest issues for young people
0:08:39 > 0:08:42when coming from a small primary is, "Will I get lost?"
0:08:42 > 0:08:43Yes, you will.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47They are joining a very, very big campus and a very complicated campus
0:08:47 > 0:08:50and you can sometimes spend five or ten minutes walking between classes.
0:08:50 > 0:08:55So that they don't initially feel lost or disorientated,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58they report every period... When the bell goes, they report to
0:08:58 > 0:09:01the central yard, the central playground and are collected by their teachers.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04But, at the end of the day, some will still get lost.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08That is sometimes by design, not by accident.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12Bernadette has to look after and make sure
0:09:12 > 0:09:18400 bewildered 1st Years get to all the right classes.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20It's going very well. It's been great,
0:09:20 > 0:09:22It's just good to get them all settled.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Oh, here come three children who might be lost.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27- Girls, where are you supposed to be? - Gym.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Right, I'll take you over, girls.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31That's great, OK? Thanks very much.
0:09:31 > 0:09:32'I worry about them getting lost.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35'I think they... In a huge school it's easy for that to happen.'
0:09:35 > 0:09:39Hopefully, I don't think we've lost anybody yet, so...!
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Head Boy and Head Girl contenders, Max and Leonie,
0:09:47 > 0:09:51have just come back from the school trip to Malawi and are rushing to
0:09:51 > 0:09:55finish a presentation that they're giving to the whole school about it.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57Me and Max went in June there and it was a full year
0:09:57 > 0:10:01of fund-raising we did to go and build a three-classroom block
0:10:01 > 0:10:05and renovate two classrooms for special needs children.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09From going to Malawi, my confidence level has just gone right up.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13I'd have thought in 1st Year that I'd have maybe left school in 5th Year.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17I never would have thought I'd have stayed on and be going for Head Girl.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19To be honest, I don't know who I'll vote for, yet.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Depends, if they make a good speech, we'll see...
0:10:30 > 0:10:33By lunchtime on the first day,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36the new starts are settling in and Liam has caught up with
0:10:36 > 0:10:40some of his old school friends from his primary school, St Mirren's.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46They all know about his Asperger's and are used to having him around.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Over these past few years,
0:10:50 > 0:10:56I've learnt how to cope with my syndrome and be able to blend in.
0:10:57 > 0:11:02So basically, from the distance, I'm nothing more than an ordinary pupil.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05I basically just blend in with the friends I know,
0:11:05 > 0:11:07trying to look normal.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09And that's how it works, really.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17Not all children with Asperger's can cope with mainstream education
0:11:17 > 0:11:20but Liam is determined to make it at Holyrood.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35This morning, Holyrood has another 1st Year new addition.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38A Romanian family have just arrived in Glasgow
0:11:38 > 0:11:42and are hoping to enrol one of their boys.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46Bernadette is waiting to make sure he is OK,
0:11:46 > 0:11:48as she's not sure how much English he speaks.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51A young lad called Gabriel coming in to join us this morning.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53We enrolled him the other day.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55I think, due to his language difficulties,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58he will have to be assessed first in our bi-lingual unit.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Just going to wait for him to come in with his mum
0:12:01 > 0:12:05and I'll spend the day looking at his needs and assessing his English.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Here he comes with his mum.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13- Good morning.- Good morning.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16You look lovely this morning. Excellent.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18OK, we have a problem with his shoes but we'll fix it.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22OK. Don't worry about today. Are you glad to be here?
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Are you glad to be here this morning, eh?
0:12:24 > 0:12:26HIS MUM TRANSLATES
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Good. Now I'm going to get an older pupil to take him upstairs to...
0:12:29 > 0:12:33Oh, there's Mrs Boyle there. Hello, Mrs Boyle.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37'The school from here, I don't think it's the same in Romania.'
0:12:37 > 0:12:40I don't know what he will need, what it'll be, but...
0:12:40 > 0:12:43- How do you feel? - More scared than him!
0:12:49 > 0:12:53He's very sensitive, you know. He's very sensitive and he's...
0:12:53 > 0:12:56He's scared, this is the problem.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Gabby's English has to be assessed first before he's allowed
0:12:59 > 0:13:03a place at Holyrood, and his mum hopes this will be the first step
0:13:03 > 0:13:05in making a new life in Glasgow.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13It's the interview stage for Head Boy and Head Girl selection
0:13:13 > 0:13:15and first up, it's the girls.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18A teacher's going to interview us. I think she'll just talk to us first
0:13:18 > 0:13:20and then she'll take us one by one, but,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23I'm going first apparently cos I have to get back upstairs.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26She might just ask what we've done for the school,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28what we are prepared to give up.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Erm, why we deserve it.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33What we think we can do, what we think we're capable of.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37Basically, blowing your own trumpet, just keep going on and on and on.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Knock it out the park!
0:13:41 > 0:13:43First in to interview is Leonie.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48All the chat is about which of the boys they think will get through.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51- Daniel Aitken? - I really think Daniel Aitken.
0:13:51 > 0:13:52It'll come down to...
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- I think Daniel will give a really good speech.- Yeah.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57What about Max?
0:13:58 > 0:14:00- What about him?! - He's got a good chance.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02Yeah, he's a really good chance.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04But I think when it comes to voting,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07a lot of people in our year are going to have that
0:14:07 > 0:14:10kind of attitude, it's somebody else's chance now to burst out
0:14:10 > 0:14:14of that bubble, that it's someone else's chance to have a shot.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16I've not to talk about it.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18I'm a good girl, I don't break the rules.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22'Leonie's one of these people who came to my attention'
0:14:22 > 0:14:23way, way back in 1st Year.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27She was a kind of caricature, stereotypical schoolgirl
0:14:27 > 0:14:30with her pigtails and she hasn't changed very much.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Leonie's still a typical schoolgirl, not in a naive way,
0:14:33 > 0:14:35a very, very able girl.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38A very wise, mature girl.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41But a girl who certainly does not act beyond her years.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Next out of the interviews is Sadia.
0:14:45 > 0:14:51That's fine. Erm, I think I've maybe got through.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Sadia could probably do my job sometimes, I think.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56She certainly is very articulate.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58She has obvious leadership qualities.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02People will follow Sadia's lead and when you talk to them
0:15:02 > 0:15:05in company, Sadia's the one who people often look to.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09All the girls think they've done well,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13but only a few will make it through to the speeches stage of selection.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17You're going to do subtraction. Take away...
0:15:17 > 0:15:22Gabby has been assessed for his English language skills for most of the morning.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27I'm going to join you for a break all right?
0:15:27 > 0:15:32And Liam and his primary school friends have been asked to sit with him through lunch.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37Aye, he's from Romania and he's just joined us.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39He doesn't speak much English though.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43But we're going to get used to him
0:15:43 > 0:15:46and hopefully become a good friend of ours.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49What work have you been doing? Work.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53I would just introduce him to some of the teachers, make sure that
0:15:53 > 0:15:58if he needs any help, I'll just take him to his pastoral care teacher and get it sorted.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01I mean, I'm going to try and make every attempt I can to be,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04well, be friends with him.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09And I mean, for example, we had back in St Mirren's there was a boy, he was from Poland.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13He didn't speak very good English when he was in P5
0:16:13 > 0:16:18but over the years he developed and he's...I think he's at
0:16:18 > 0:16:23St Margaret Mary's now. And his English is excellent.
0:16:23 > 0:16:28With almost no English, Gabby will have to learn fast to continue at
0:16:28 > 0:16:35Holyrood, and there is a real chance he may be moved to an outside specialist language school.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40It's now the boys' turn to be interviewed for Head Boy selection.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43- Are you nervous?- A wee bit.- When I did my last interview I just
0:16:43 > 0:16:48kind of froze and I got too nervous, answered the questions.
0:16:48 > 0:16:56- Hopefully I'll do better this time. - Nervous, I suppose, good influence I would say.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Need to be confident.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01Cheers.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Hashim's a very, very charming
0:17:05 > 0:17:09young man who finds it very easy to engage with adults in conversation.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Someone who will stop and talk to you almost as a peer, as an equal.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15He is also very, very respectful, too.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19A young man whom I admire who's company I can
0:17:19 > 0:17:23certainly enjoy and someone who certainly has the gift of the gab
0:17:23 > 0:17:25and is a great communicator.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Hash is confident he'll get through to the speeches.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32At the end of the day, they make the decision on who gets to actually do
0:17:32 > 0:17:37the speech. Now I think it might be everyone, it might be all of us but
0:17:37 > 0:17:41- I don't know.- I think it's more of a competency thing. It's like they want to know
0:17:41 > 0:17:46whether you'll be able to do the thing tomorrow.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Think this is a way just, it's not filtering necessarily anyone out.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51Next in to interview is Max.
0:17:51 > 0:17:56To some extent, people may see Max as Mr Perfect. Max has always looked,
0:17:56 > 0:18:00turned out like a brand-new pin all the time. His punctuality,
0:18:00 > 0:18:06his attendance, his articulation Max's challenge will be trying to promote
0:18:06 > 0:18:10the support and engagement of his peers, cos some of his peers
0:18:10 > 0:18:16may see Max as the kind of perfect student, the straight 5 As,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20going to University and it's important the Head Boy and Head Girl
0:18:20 > 0:18:25have all of these qualities, they also need to have credibility among their peers.
0:18:25 > 0:18:31- I thought it was really short, like too short. I don't know.- And...
0:18:31 > 0:18:35The Head Boy and Head Girl contenders will have to wait until
0:18:35 > 0:18:40the end of the week to see who doesn't make the final shortlist...
0:18:40 > 0:18:42and who does.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56It had a different guy in it...
0:18:56 > 0:19:00Kids going to Holyrood come from all over the city. After just a week,
0:19:00 > 0:19:05the boys from St Mirren's primary have left any first-day nerves behind.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09When you come as a 1st Year and you see you all the other pupils like
0:19:09 > 0:19:12really happy it gives you a good feeling like cos you think, well,
0:19:12 > 0:19:17if they're all happy, then why wouldn't we be happy? There must be something good about this school.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21See, if it weren't for Maths every day, I'd actually put in a complaint
0:19:21 > 0:19:25that there should not be any weekends in the school. Because, like,
0:19:25 > 0:19:29I'd... See how when it's like a Friday like you feel that good for a while
0:19:29 > 0:19:32like there's no more school tomorrow, then you think,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35no wait a minute, I don't want... I want school tomorrow.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Like it's great, I wish there was school every day.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40I don't like school that much.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Hi, Calum.
0:19:44 > 0:19:50Unfortunately for Liam, his old primary school friends aren't in any of his classes.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54He's just coping really well with it. We've had some people like
0:19:54 > 0:19:58trying to annoy him, but he's done really well, he's coped well with it.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03I was his friend through primary since he came at P5 and he was just really... He's coping
0:20:03 > 0:20:07really well, but he likes high school.
0:20:07 > 0:20:13Liam, though, has started to get a hard time from a classmate.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17I was minding my own business, just looking at the posters round the
0:20:17 > 0:20:21room and the next thing I know, this guy in the same registration class
0:20:21 > 0:20:26as me, is pushing me against the door frame, crushing my chest
0:20:26 > 0:20:29and making it a bit hard to breathe. You can imagine how I felt.
0:20:29 > 0:20:34Well, basically the first time he was just told off.
0:20:34 > 0:20:42Oh, but it didn't end there. He then continued to do it, knowing it was hurting me.
0:20:42 > 0:20:48But he just kept doing it until the teacher finally told him off
0:20:48 > 0:20:50seriously with detention or something.
0:20:50 > 0:20:55Today my dad sent in a letter to my head of year, Mrs O'Shea.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59I got a letter from his Dad this morning, he was concerned that there
0:20:59 > 0:21:02had been a wee incident I think the other day, where a boy had pushed
0:21:02 > 0:21:06him and the boy had been warned not to do it and he pushed him again.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08I spoke to the boy this morning, I said, he doesn't want
0:21:08 > 0:21:11to be your friend. I think the boy thought he was being friendly.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14I said, you need to keep away from him. So he's had a second
0:21:14 > 0:21:17friendly warning if you like and hopefully that'll be the end of it.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20And I phoned Dad to let him know I'd done that, so Dad was quite pleased.
0:21:20 > 0:21:25My instincts just say punch him right in the mouth, but my brain
0:21:25 > 0:21:30- just says differently.- What does your brain say?- Just ignore him,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34but it'll just come up to a point where I just can't ignore that bully
0:21:34 > 0:21:39- any more and just going to take it all out on him.- Really?- Yeah.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43It just gets up to a point. I mean, even I have my boundaries.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Liam's a very articulate young man and I said to him
0:21:45 > 0:21:49to come and speak to me if there's any more trouble, so I think he will do that.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51- There you are.- Thank you, sir.
0:21:51 > 0:21:57Every year, a team of Holyrood staff and kids, led by Deputy Head Tony Begley,
0:21:57 > 0:22:01head out to Malawi and this year's selection process has already started.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05- OK. OK thank you, sir.- Thank you very much, thanks.- See you later.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07No bother, bye-bye.
0:22:07 > 0:22:12Fill in their applications. That's some of the applications and then we have to
0:22:12 > 0:22:17start and sift through it and then select and what we have done in
0:22:17 > 0:22:21the past is, we've actually ended up interviewing an awful lot of pupils.
0:22:21 > 0:22:26Tony is so committed to helping in Malawi, he's now decided to give up
0:22:26 > 0:22:31teaching and leave Holyrood to work for a Scottish charity.
0:22:31 > 0:22:37I really have enjoyed being here. I just think the world of the school and the children.
0:22:37 > 0:22:42They can be just be so funny. I mean, you can say the most innocuous thing
0:22:42 > 0:22:48to children and one will always come back with something just, that's just particularly witty or
0:22:48 > 0:22:55whatever's happening on X Factor or Big Brother or football or politics sometimes.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59You know, somebody's always got a...
0:22:59 > 0:23:05Somebody's always got an answer or a funny and I enjoy children.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08I think you just get an enormous energy from
0:23:08 > 0:23:13working with them, being around them. And sometimes they drive you crazy!
0:23:13 > 0:23:17You have your moments, a bit up and down, but a lot
0:23:17 > 0:23:23of the kids have expressed a bit of surprise and some a bit of
0:23:23 > 0:23:28disappointment I'm going and others I'm quite sure will party!
0:23:28 > 0:23:33With deputy head Tony leaving, Tom is having to re-shuffle the senior management team.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38The problem just now is, we have advertised for a new Deputy Head Teacher. At the moment
0:23:38 > 0:23:43Gillian Mimnagh, who's substantively Head of Biology in the school, is filling the post
0:23:43 > 0:23:46and has been doing so since September, so she'll be one of
0:23:46 > 0:23:48the applicants for due consideration.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Good, we're looking at osmosis and
0:23:50 > 0:23:54we want to find out what osmosis meant.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59'Gillian joined us just over three years ago or so. Very impressive'
0:23:59 > 0:24:04young member of staff who certainly has acquitted herself extremely well in the current post and will be,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07I suppose, a strong competitor for the post.
0:24:07 > 0:24:13That will now take place on the 20th, the 21st and the 22nd. So providing...
0:24:13 > 0:24:17It's almost harder in a sense that I've been the Acting, because part of me feels
0:24:17 > 0:24:21if I don't get it, does it mean I wasn't very good?
0:24:21 > 0:24:25There's that aspect, you know, and I always believe and I was always brought up that you always do
0:24:25 > 0:24:29the very best that you can and you always... That was
0:24:29 > 0:24:32instilled in me by my parents, by my own education, you always do
0:24:32 > 0:24:36the best that you can. So, if I become a DHT, I'll do the very, very best that
0:24:36 > 0:24:40I can. If that means that I can use that in...use those
0:24:40 > 0:24:43skills as a head teacher, then who knows?
0:24:43 > 0:24:46We look for someone who wants to be a head teacher. Someone who has
0:24:46 > 0:24:50the ambition, determination to want to climb to the top, maybe take
0:24:50 > 0:24:55my place one day. And has that capability to do that. They need to
0:24:55 > 0:24:59demonstrate real commitment to the school. An absolute
0:24:59 > 0:25:03commitment to children. If they don't impress upon me that they've got a real love for children,
0:25:03 > 0:25:05there's no point applying for the post.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09Teaching's a brilliant job. I mean you get to do things in teaching
0:25:09 > 0:25:13that no other job would you get to do these things. You know,
0:25:13 > 0:25:17I've been to amazing places, I've worked with amazing people.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20I've got to participate in things that when you get to
0:25:20 > 0:25:25a certain age you can't do any more, but if you're a teacher, you still have all this fun to have
0:25:25 > 0:25:27cos you're still with all these young people
0:25:27 > 0:25:30and I would love to get the Deputy job here, I really would.
0:25:30 > 0:25:35Deputy Head Teacher is a senior position with responsibility for
0:25:35 > 0:25:40a 400-strong year group and Gillian will face fierce competition
0:25:40 > 0:25:43from several external candidates in two weeks' time.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Yes. That's right. Uh-huh.
0:25:52 > 0:26:00- Leonie, when do you finish and I start? You start there?- I start at "Malawi family..." blah blah blah.
0:26:00 > 0:26:06Today, Max and Leonie are presenting their Malawi experience to each year in turn.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10Oh, we're just preparing the presentation of Malawi to our
0:26:10 > 0:26:16year group so hopefully they should give us support, they know that we've been, they've heard all about it
0:26:16 > 0:26:20and stuff, so it should be good, it should go well.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23For the 1st Year one, I wasn't nervous, I was just kind of a bit
0:26:23 > 0:26:27wary like if they'd pay attention or whatever cos that they're younger, but I'm fine for
0:26:27 > 0:26:29our year, they're my friends.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33And what's happened was one day it was really pouring of rain...
0:26:33 > 0:26:37Max and Leonie want to do a great presentation as it's Deputy Head
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Tony's last ever assembly with the 6th form and he was the inspiration
0:26:40 > 0:26:43behind their Malawi trip.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Hash has to leave early today, so he has been
0:26:46 > 0:26:52given special permission to find out first if he has got through to the next stage of selection.
0:26:52 > 0:26:57Although Tony still has a few days to go at Holyrood, this is the last time
0:26:57 > 0:27:01the 6th Years will all be together before he leaves.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Tony Begley was the absolute inspiration behind all of this so
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Tony I wish you all the very best indeed, you know I'll speak to you a whole lot in the future,
0:27:08 > 0:27:12but I think from pupils in the school, especially the ones who know you best from 6th Year,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16I think deserves one really big last round of applause.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18APPLAUSE
0:27:22 > 0:27:27'I've just known these children for 6 years, I love them. I think they are children who genuinely care.'
0:27:27 > 0:27:33It would be a poor school if our children simply got Standard Grades and Highers and I hope,
0:27:33 > 0:27:37hope Holyrood continues to give them more than that.
0:27:37 > 0:27:42He works tirelessly for the young people of the school. When he goes on, he's going to do a different kind
0:27:42 > 0:27:45of job, different motivation and we wish Tony the very best,
0:27:45 > 0:27:50but certainly Holyrood will be a poorer place without Tony Begley.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Hash has had some surprising news.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55- So what did she say?- She said no.
0:27:55 > 0:28:02Ah, she just says, "You've not made the cut." I don't know why, but...
0:28:02 > 0:28:08- What does this mean?- I don't know, actually. I'm going to go home. She said the girls
0:28:08 > 0:28:13were better than the boys and she's going to cut a lot of the boys,
0:28:13 > 0:28:17but then again there is only 6 boys and obviously you might have to have
0:28:17 > 0:28:21a few people that are boys, if you're going to have like two or three people.
0:28:21 > 0:28:26There's only two or three vice captains. So, I suppose...
0:28:26 > 0:28:32I don't know, I don't. I just... A bit of a shock to be honest, but it's all right.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39With Hash already out of the running, the other Head Boy and Girl
0:28:39 > 0:28:45contenders are now about to find out who is through to the speeches round.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49Hash didn't get through. He didn't, nobody knows why, well, I don't know why anyway.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51So, he's not doing a speech tomorrow.
0:28:51 > 0:28:56It's not really affected me. It might affect the boys more because it's them that are up against him.
0:28:56 > 0:29:01What happens, happens. I'm resigned to it. There's nothing I can do now.
0:29:01 > 0:29:10It's crunch time and they're called in, one at a time. Hash isn't the only boy who's not through.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12Oh, no.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16She explained pretty well why I didn't get in. I'm... I understand.
0:29:19 > 0:29:20Leonie, though, is through.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24I've to do my speech tomorrow, so she's given me a couple of pointers,
0:29:24 > 0:29:28how to do my speech and that, so I don't really want
0:29:28 > 0:29:34to tell anyone next door. She doesn't want to let them down or whatever, but I am so overwhelmed.
0:29:41 > 0:29:42Max is next out.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45Yeah, I'm through to the next round if you like so...
0:29:45 > 0:29:47- How does it feel? - Eh, good, just happy
0:29:47 > 0:29:51that I got through, but we'll see how it goes. It's just one of these
0:29:51 > 0:29:53things that the best person will get the job I'm sure.
0:29:53 > 0:29:57Max's main competition, Danny, is also through.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59CHEERING
0:30:00 > 0:30:02She said that she loved my interview.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05She thinks that I've got a really good reason for going through.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08I'm not just doing it for the sake of a CV or something
0:30:08 > 0:30:11and I'm a perfect candidate.
0:30:11 > 0:30:12Ohhhh!
0:30:12 > 0:30:14Sadia is through to tomorrow's speeches.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17But tomorrow is Eid, an important Muslim festival
0:30:17 > 0:30:21and she is working late in her mum's shop tonight.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27Between tonight and tomorrow we are pretty busy.
0:30:27 > 0:30:33As you can see we're open until at least 12 o'clock, I'd say.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36One year we were open till about four o'clock in the morning.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38We can be here all night if need be.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41I've not really prepared a speech, to be honest.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44I'm just worried that if I'm tired tomorrow,
0:30:44 > 0:30:47you know, you start babbling sometimes when you're tired.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49I'm a bit worried about that.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51Despite working late in her mum's salon,
0:30:51 > 0:30:54Sadia needs to perform well to win tomorrow.
0:30:54 > 0:30:55DOORBELL
0:30:55 > 0:30:57Hiya, how can I help?
0:31:01 > 0:31:05Three weeks into the term, Gabby is still at Holyrood
0:31:05 > 0:31:07and it's still in the balance
0:31:07 > 0:31:10whether or not he needs to be moved to a specialist language school.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12Look, it's Thierry Henry.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15His brother has just arrived from Romania
0:31:15 > 0:31:18and has joined him at Holyrood
0:31:18 > 0:31:21although his English is better than Gabby's.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23This school is very good.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25It's big.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28The teacher is very good with child.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33Help us, you know, it's a very good school,
0:31:33 > 0:31:35it's very good.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39This is Gabriel uniform, and this one.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42It's beauty.
0:31:43 > 0:31:48THEY SPEAK ROMANIAN
0:31:49 > 0:31:54He was very afraid if because they send him on another school,
0:31:54 > 0:31:58because he have a problem with the language,
0:31:58 > 0:32:00he doesn't speak very well English
0:32:00 > 0:32:03and it's a problem when he doesn't understand very well.
0:32:03 > 0:32:09My brother is help me very much. He show me everything. He show me where is the classroom.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13I know he's a clever boy and he can give, you know,
0:32:13 > 0:32:19can take everything like, I'm not really sure about what that called.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23Gabby's English needs to improve
0:32:23 > 0:32:26if he's going to keep his place at Holyrood
0:32:26 > 0:32:30but what his mum doesn't know is that he's been skipping school.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49Today it's a big test of nerves for the potential school captains,
0:32:49 > 0:32:52as a good speech can make all the difference in the voting.
0:32:52 > 0:32:57This is my attempt at a speech, an attempt to be somewhat funny,
0:32:57 > 0:32:59which will not happen.
0:32:59 > 0:33:00It will, I'll laugh.
0:33:02 > 0:33:03I'm so nervous.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06I was up till half three, I was up again at six.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08So tired right now but, I'm ready,
0:33:08 > 0:33:11I just told her my speech and she's happy.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14I think she'll be good, I'm sure she'll do good.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16I've had a stomach ache all morning.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19Really nervous but I'm first. My speech is quite quick.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23I really didn't practise it, I just started making it up on the spot
0:33:23 > 0:33:25and the same thing will happen again.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28I'm nervous about actually speaking in front of people
0:33:28 > 0:33:31but I think the speech is good enough.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33The speech is probably the most nerve-racking bit,
0:33:33 > 0:33:35I'll just see how it goes.
0:33:35 > 0:33:36Just hope it goes well,
0:33:36 > 0:33:38in case I just bomb in front of everyone.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42The girls' competition is wide open
0:33:42 > 0:33:46but it seems that Max and Danny may be the boys to beat.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55After a difficult start at Holyrood for Liam,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57the winter term has been a challenge.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Wee bit concerned that he's getting a wee bit isolated.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03He's a lovely lad.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07I don't think Liam's too concerned about it
0:34:07 > 0:34:11but I'm a wee bit concerned that Liam is getting through school on his own
0:34:11 > 0:34:14rather than, you know, with a group of friends.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18You see, I don't think there's a particular problem in classes.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21He's OK in class, he's engaged, he's busy, he's working.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24At lunchtime he could end up being at a loose end,
0:34:24 > 0:34:27aye, and I guess that's my concern, is that you know,
0:34:27 > 0:34:30I find him maybe sitting in a corner some day on his own.
0:34:30 > 0:34:35It's just this feeling of isolation. I know that can be very real for children who have Asperger's,
0:34:35 > 0:34:37so I'm a wee bit concerned about that.
0:34:37 > 0:34:42But ultimately it's Liam's decision whether or not he wants to be involved in group activities.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45He's not fond of them but I don't like to see him,
0:34:45 > 0:34:47I don't like to see anybody on their own.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49But particularly Liam.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51The staff are right to be worried
0:34:51 > 0:34:54and Liam is feeling more and more picked-on.
0:34:54 > 0:34:55Whenever I see them,
0:34:55 > 0:34:58they're getting at me.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01It's like, it's like poison, it's small at first
0:35:01 > 0:35:03but it just spreads to become a big problem
0:35:03 > 0:35:06and I don't want it to become a problem.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08I just want this, I want to get this out the road,
0:35:08 > 0:35:11just out of my head so I can focus on other things.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14I just want to be myself,
0:35:14 > 0:35:17not some sort of muppet that looks good
0:35:17 > 0:35:20but really inside is just trapped.
0:35:20 > 0:35:25It's as though I have to look cool to act against my will.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28I just want to be me. Just the real me, the personalities,
0:35:28 > 0:35:31the likes, the dislikes, the hobbies, everything.
0:35:31 > 0:35:32Everything about me.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36I like myself and I wouldn't want to change any bit of it.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39Liam is struggling to fit in.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44For him to stay on in mainstream education,
0:35:44 > 0:35:49he has to find a way of integrating at Holyrood rather than isolating himself.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55Good morning, my best wishes to all the candidates.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58I'm sure every one of them would do a fantastic job.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02Good luck to you all. We look forward to hearing your presentations.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06Sadia is first up.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08First of all, talking of appearance
0:36:08 > 0:36:10and the reason I'm dressed like this, is because it's Eid
0:36:10 > 0:36:12and I've just come from my prayers,
0:36:12 > 0:36:15so I'm going to make this quite short and sweet.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17One of the reasons that I think I'm suitable...
0:36:17 > 0:36:21Sadia's fears about not being well enough prepared
0:36:21 > 0:36:23are being realised.
0:36:23 > 0:36:28Maybe they'll stop if they have a role model that doesn't do that so much.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32And she's cut her speech really short.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34Thank you.
0:36:38 > 0:36:39Next up is Leonie.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43I just want to start by saying for several years, Holyrood has felt like a home to me.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47I think that it's our turn as sixth years to do our part for our school.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49When I began first year at Holyrood,
0:36:49 > 0:36:54I'll be honest and say I never even did dare to think I'd be standing here running for Captain today,
0:36:54 > 0:36:59I thought I'd have spent my sixth year with my friends from St Brides
0:36:59 > 0:37:01and getting kind of average grades.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05That might have happened if I'd gone to another school but not Holyrood.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09You will be, and ultimately are, my main priority.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11I won't let you down.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:37:14 > 0:37:16CHEERING
0:37:16 > 0:37:20The person getting the biggest cheer as they come to the rostrum is Danny.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23Bigger applause than I expected.
0:37:23 > 0:37:24Hi, I'm Daniel.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26Most of youse know me quite well.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28Some of youse know me better
0:37:28 > 0:37:32and a few of youse know me a bit too good for my own good.
0:37:32 > 0:37:33LAUGHTER
0:37:33 > 0:37:35I'm here to run for the Captain
0:37:35 > 0:37:37and I'd like to start off by saying I wouldn't be here
0:37:37 > 0:37:40unless I thought I was the best candidate for the job.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42Thanks, Kirsten!
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Danny's speech is going down well.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49Vote for me to be your mouth piece and I will get what you need said, said.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52Vote for me and I will not let you down.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Thank you.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:37:58 > 0:38:01Max is up next
0:38:01 > 0:38:04and will have to do a great speech to beat Danny.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08Kind of a bit of a hard act to follow, don't you think?
0:38:08 > 0:38:10Thanks very much for that, guys!
0:38:10 > 0:38:13Communication is something that's very important this year for us
0:38:13 > 0:38:16especially if we want to get our first choice of course at uni,
0:38:16 > 0:38:18get to the college we want.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22I think I'd be a good person to communicate between us and the teachers.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25We need someone who will be a good link between us and the teachers.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29It's too bad we can't do it through Facebook, so, sorry, Heather.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31LAUGHTER
0:38:31 > 0:38:34Max's speech is also going really well.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37Thank you very much for listening, and enjoy the rest of your day,
0:38:37 > 0:38:38thank you.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:38:43 > 0:38:45I think I was terrible.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47I started shaking, I started panicking.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50I'd forgotten everything I wanted to say.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53It sounded kind of good in my head but I don't know to everyone else.
0:38:53 > 0:38:58I think it could have went better. There were some things I completely forgot to put in.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00But what I did put in got an OK response, I think.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04After hearing the rest of them, I pretty much scrapped mine,
0:39:04 > 0:39:07cos, oh I don't know, the competition was incredibly tough.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09So, we'll see.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12The votes will be counted over the weekend
0:39:12 > 0:39:16and the new School Captains appointed next week.
0:39:16 > 0:39:17Max and Danny both did well.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20Obviously I would have been better.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22There's so much I could have said.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24There's so much I could have said
0:39:24 > 0:39:26and I didn't say not even a quarter of it.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30I just didn't say enough. Awww! I could actually punch myself.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37Bernadette knows Liam's still struggling
0:39:37 > 0:39:40and is determined to see if she can help.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42- He's upset today. - Just a wee bit troubled.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46OK. So is this something new that's happened?
0:39:46 > 0:39:47A small group of them
0:39:47 > 0:39:50that whenever I see them they say, like, "Justin Bieber".
0:39:50 > 0:39:54I mean, take it you saw him in the X Factor, miming,
0:39:54 > 0:39:56bad write up, absolutely hate him.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59I've been hating for what, two years now?
0:39:59 > 0:40:00You hate Justin Bieber?
0:40:00 > 0:40:02Yeah. Pop star. Teen girls go crazy for him.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04He's 16 and he hasn't hit puberty yet.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07That's the grudge I've got against him.
0:40:07 > 0:40:08That's the grudge...
0:40:08 > 0:40:10I mean, they say I like him,
0:40:10 > 0:40:12which is completely contradicting what I say,
0:40:12 > 0:40:16of course I get angry myself and sometimes retort with, well...
0:40:16 > 0:40:19It's just kind of a dam of anger,
0:40:19 > 0:40:22as in, like, a dam water, like Hoover Dam.
0:40:22 > 0:40:27I'm not saying it as though the D-A-M-N, I'm saying it as though it's like a water dam.
0:40:27 > 0:40:32Of course, this could be even mentioned about three years later, it could be a huge problem.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34I could be failing my exams.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37Yes, but we're not going to let that happen obviously.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39Just going downhill,
0:40:39 > 0:40:42but I'm glad I'm being... having it dealt with right now.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45Right, I'm going to identify those boys tomorrow then, Liam,
0:40:45 > 0:40:48and I'll have a little word with them, OK,
0:40:48 > 0:40:49then that should stop after that.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51Good. Problem solved.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53I mean, I don't settle.
0:40:53 > 0:40:59I just will not stop at anything less until I'm back on track.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01You're fine, you'll be back on track no problem.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04I'll let you go back to your IT class now.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07French, actually.
0:41:07 > 0:41:08This isn't the first time
0:41:08 > 0:41:12we've had to deal with a situation like that with Liam, you know,
0:41:12 > 0:41:14where children have said things to him.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17He's obviously very sensitive to the fact that he has said
0:41:17 > 0:41:19that he doesn't like this particular singer.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22The children are kind of making fun of it and he wants it dealt with.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24So we'll deal with it tomorrow.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27Generally it's just a case of a quiet word in their ear.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30They realise they may be taking it a bit too far.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33Anything we get to know about in school, we'll certainly deal with.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45- Do you want to take this while I have a chat with Mum about it?- Sure.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Bernadette is working with pastoral care teacher Robert
0:41:48 > 0:41:50monitoring first year truancy issues.
0:41:52 > 0:42:00She's surprised to hear who is first on the list of kids who are skipping school.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02We are a bit concerned about his attendance.
0:42:02 > 0:42:07His attendance rate currently is under 85%, you know.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09He's had quite a few absences,
0:42:09 > 0:42:14if you have a look here from there until there, OK?
0:42:14 > 0:42:16Are you aware of all these absences at all?
0:42:16 > 0:42:18I know about them, yes.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21He had, even now, he came from one of the dentist,
0:42:21 > 0:42:26he have all night when he doesn't sleep, you know?
0:42:26 > 0:42:28In the morning he couldn't wake up.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30But in actual fact he's absent some afternoons.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33He was in school in the morning and not here in the afternoon.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39What I want to say, it was very hard for him.
0:42:39 > 0:42:44When he came in this school he doesn't know to say just, "Hello, my name is..."
0:42:44 > 0:42:47This is very hard for him because it's very big school.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49Yes, but he can go with other in his class.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52- You have friends in your class, don't you?- Yes.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56Well you would go to your next class with other children.
0:42:56 > 0:43:01He doesn't make social subjects because he can't understand.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07When you're missing classes, it is difficult for you to catch up.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10- Yes.- So if you're here every day it becomes easier
0:43:10 > 0:43:15to keep in touch with your other friends and also with what's going on in all the different classes.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18I'm going to help you with that with by giving...
0:43:18 > 0:43:21Gabby has to report to Bernadette for an attendance card
0:43:21 > 0:43:23which he gets filled in at the end of every lesson.
0:43:23 > 0:43:26Thanks very much for coming. See you in the morning, OK?
0:43:26 > 0:43:31Mum's concerned about the fact he's not making progress in some of the subject areas
0:43:31 > 0:43:33but he needs to be here in order to get the help he needs,
0:43:33 > 0:43:37so if he's feeling isolated maybe because he's not here as often as he should be
0:43:37 > 0:43:42and that can only improve, you know, if he comes to school all the time, so...
0:43:42 > 0:43:47This isn't the start in Scotland Gabby's mum was hoping for.
0:43:47 > 0:43:49Gabby needs to change his behaviour
0:43:49 > 0:43:53starting by turning up tomorrow morning at Bernadette's office.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08In order to help Liam to join in with life at Holyrood,
0:44:08 > 0:44:13the school have encouraged him to help out at morning Mass with Father Anthony.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16I know Liam very well, and he's a...
0:44:16 > 0:44:17He's Liam, you know.
0:44:17 > 0:44:20Eh, he's a laugh.
0:44:20 > 0:44:26You need some patience to deal with him but he's good,
0:44:26 > 0:44:29and the fact he's at Mass means that he can participate,
0:44:29 > 0:44:31means he can help and means that he is doing something,
0:44:31 > 0:44:37so rather than standing around, he's doing something, he's active.
0:44:37 > 0:44:42He is due in this morning and Father Anthony knows what to expect.
0:44:42 > 0:44:45You never know quite when he's going to turn up either.
0:44:45 > 0:44:50You'll hear tales of, "Oh, the bus was late
0:44:50 > 0:44:53"and the second bus was late and I couldn't get on that bus..."
0:44:53 > 0:44:56Because of some reason, I don't know what.
0:44:56 > 0:45:00But we'll hear all about it.
0:45:00 > 0:45:07He never keeps anything to himself, which, I suppose, is a great character trait but, uh,
0:45:07 > 0:45:09it can be annoying as well!
0:45:09 > 0:45:12- Morning, Father. - Hello, Liam how are you doing?
0:45:12 > 0:45:18- Fine.- What happened this morning? - Oh, bus was crowded.
0:45:18 > 0:45:23Like a sardine tin, God. Hard enough getting in.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Right, OK, come on and hurry up.
0:45:26 > 0:45:30Just lucky I was able to make it and no more.
0:45:32 > 0:45:34The school are trying to involve Liam
0:45:34 > 0:45:40in as many activities as possible to encourage him to be less isolated.
0:45:40 > 0:45:42Lord have mercy.
0:45:42 > 0:45:48It's the morning of the Deputy Head Teacher interviews and Gillian is in Holyrood early.
0:45:48 > 0:45:53She's up against several strong external candidates.
0:45:53 > 0:45:54Really nervous. I feel ill.
0:45:54 > 0:45:58I feel ill, I've been up since like half six just looking over things.
0:45:58 > 0:46:02And it's not so much like kind of learning things, it's just making sure that I've got in my head
0:46:02 > 0:46:07all the things that I want to say and kind of, I just really want to give a good account of myself.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10Interviews are nerve-wracking for everyone concerned,
0:46:10 > 0:46:14but when you know the panel, are working in the school, acting the position,
0:46:14 > 0:46:18the expectations are high and rather than walk in and be anonymous, people know who you are.
0:46:18 > 0:46:21So it's difficult to, I think, perform.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24More of a challenge, but she should feel confident.
0:46:24 > 0:46:26It means everything to me to be honest with you,
0:46:26 > 0:46:31cos I just think that, you know, I've worked hard and this is something I really want
0:46:31 > 0:46:36and I feel that, I feel that I've got the ability to do this and to do like be a good depute,
0:46:36 > 0:46:41so it's really just a matter of making sure that that comes across in the interview.
0:46:47 > 0:46:51While Bernadette is always delighted to receive surprise pictures for her wall,
0:46:51 > 0:46:55what she really wants is that Gabby will turn up as promised.
0:46:55 > 0:46:58He hasn't appeared yet, so I expect to see him before the bell goes.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01The expectations are that his attendance will improve.
0:47:01 > 0:47:06If there was no attempt to improve that attendance, we might have to take stronger action,
0:47:06 > 0:47:10referring the case on to the reporter, the social work department, that kind of thing.
0:47:10 > 0:47:15- Morning Gabriel, how are you? - I'm fine.- Good boy, well done for remembering to come.
0:47:15 > 0:47:19A teacher will sign to say that you have arrived on time at class, first of all, OK,
0:47:19 > 0:47:25and then just sign it to make sure that you're here. So every period we will see that you are in school.
0:47:25 > 0:47:29Gabby will stay on morning report until his attendance improves.
0:47:33 > 0:47:36Gillian has to wait while the other candidates
0:47:36 > 0:47:43are interviewed for the job by Tom, another head teacher, parents and other deputy heads.
0:47:47 > 0:47:49My mum actually is a retired head teacher.
0:47:49 > 0:47:52The fact that I go for these things is because of my mum and dad.
0:47:52 > 0:47:55They're very much, "You do your best and work your hardest."
0:47:55 > 0:48:01Like last night I went over after school and, you know, they were kind of giving me mock interviews
0:48:01 > 0:48:06and stuff like that, and kind of asking me questions and things so, they're really, really supportive.
0:48:11 > 0:48:16- Are you feeling relaxed, not at all nervous?- Eh, very nervous.
0:48:16 > 0:48:19Finally, it's Gillian's turn to face the music.
0:48:26 > 0:48:31Crucial to the school keeping tabs on the pupils is a morning registration period,
0:48:31 > 0:48:34where individual teachers get to know a group of kids.
0:48:34 > 0:48:39I think he's still very quiet. I think his language is a bit of a problem for the rest of the group.
0:48:39 > 0:48:41Em, I think that em he sometimes sits on his own.
0:48:41 > 0:48:46He has definitely got a lot more confident over the last few weeks since he's been here.
0:48:46 > 0:48:50He seems to be slightly more chatty and obviously his language has come with that
0:48:50 > 0:48:53and that makes him fit in slightly better.
0:48:55 > 0:49:02I answered all the questions, so there was no kind of big kind of gaps, or anything like that, em...
0:49:02 > 0:49:07Gillian is relieved it's all over and thinks she has done as well as she could have in the interview.
0:49:07 > 0:49:15I feel all right. I don't feel, God, I'll say all this and then I won't get it, but I feel all right.
0:49:15 > 0:49:19I feel, you know, it wasn't a complete disaster.
0:49:19 > 0:49:22After discussing the candidates with the panel,
0:49:22 > 0:49:29Tom now has to break the news to Gillian about the job for the Deputy Head of Year.
0:49:29 > 0:49:33I'm going to try and track down Gillian and let her know the outcome of the interviews today.
0:49:33 > 0:49:39I'm sure she'll be anxious to know what's happened, so we'll try and, try and track her down.
0:49:39 > 0:49:41He's decided to tell Gillian face to face.
0:49:44 > 0:49:46- Congratulations! - Oh, thank you very much, thank you!
0:49:46 > 0:49:49On one condition.
0:49:49 > 0:49:51- Yes.- From now on you call me Tom!
0:49:51 > 0:49:54- Yes, that's true.- And not Mr McDonald.- I do, actually.
0:49:54 > 0:49:58- Oh, brilliant!- Come and see the panel?- Yes, thank you very much.
0:49:59 > 0:50:03- Congratulations. - The choice wasn't difficult. The choice wasn't difficult.
0:50:03 > 0:50:08- So well done.- Thank you. - The interview, outstanding interview and very well deserved, so.
0:50:08 > 0:50:09- Well done.- Thank you.- Bye-bye.
0:50:09 > 0:50:13I'm going to phone my mum again and phone my Dad and let them know that I got it.
0:50:13 > 0:50:17Oh! So happy. It's brilliant! I'm so excited. It's great.
0:50:18 > 0:50:20The interview for Gillian was outstanding.
0:50:20 > 0:50:24I mean, she said all the right things. Came across as committed,
0:50:24 > 0:50:26enthusiastic, great view of strategy, vision.
0:50:26 > 0:50:30Eh, a perfect candidate. The perfect candidate.
0:50:30 > 0:50:34- 'Hello.'- Hello, Dad, it's me. I got it!- 'You got it?'- Yes.
0:50:34 > 0:50:38- 'Congratulations! I'm really proud of you, Gillian.' - Thank you, thank you.
0:50:38 > 0:50:42Gillian now has the responsibility for 400 2nd Years
0:50:42 > 0:50:46and will have the rest of the year to prove herself the right choice for the job.
0:50:46 > 0:50:50Right, see you later. Yes!
0:50:54 > 0:50:55This is yours.
0:50:58 > 0:51:02Today, the winners of the race for Head Boy and Head Girl are going to be announced.
0:51:02 > 0:51:04Mum, is there a towel anywhere?
0:51:06 > 0:51:11But Leonie is more concerned that Vice Head Tony is leaving Holyrood.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16He'll be an emotional wreck because that's what he was like.
0:51:16 > 0:51:19So I'm not, I'm not really looking forward to seeing him,
0:51:19 > 0:51:22because I know he'll be so upset. But we'll all be upset as well.
0:51:22 > 0:51:25That's why the whole Malawi team are coming to say goodbye to him.
0:51:25 > 0:51:29But a lot of people will be really upset because he always puts the school first.
0:51:29 > 0:51:33Like, he's in most mornings from half seven and that's him right throughout,
0:51:33 > 0:51:38he misses his lunch to patrol down in the canteen during lunchtime,
0:51:38 > 0:51:42he just does absolutely everything for the school.
0:51:42 > 0:51:47He never puts himself first, even with Malawi and Mary's Meals, it's always about them first.
0:51:47 > 0:51:51He just does everything for them. I'm going to miss him.
0:51:53 > 0:51:59After a difficult start, Gabby has been taken off early morning reports
0:51:59 > 0:52:04and is now doing well at Holyrood, as his English improves.
0:52:04 > 0:52:11My son, he's managing English, they said "Oh, yes he's managing very well you know."
0:52:11 > 0:52:15Some friend of mine, they learn me English from you know.
0:52:15 > 0:52:18That was OK for me.
0:52:18 > 0:52:23He's trying to learn Pakistani now. Friends, Pakistani, he's trying to,
0:52:23 > 0:52:29to learn all the Punjabi. I don't know what but he is trying to learn!
0:52:42 > 0:52:48Tony is normally in school by seven and even though it's his last day, today is no exception.
0:52:48 > 0:52:55It's some of our new 5th Year girls, they've arranged the cake here which is wonderful.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58It's got the wee African chant we like on the front "Wazza Wazza",
0:52:58 > 0:53:04which is part of a wee chant that we were taught by our friends in Malawi.
0:53:04 > 0:53:10And they've very generously, rather than give me a gift, they've actually raised money, so they've got £110.
0:53:10 > 0:53:16And a nice card, that actually means more to me because you know,
0:53:16 > 0:53:21the gifts I appreciate so much but I'm not short of...
0:53:21 > 0:53:28I've got most things a man needs, what do you get the man that's got everything?
0:53:28 > 0:53:33So, my emotions are raw and it sort of twangs at the heart strings.
0:53:33 > 0:53:39They're just lovely children and it just makes me feel that it's not 20 years wasted.
0:53:41 > 0:53:46The staff and pupil votes for Head Boy and Head Girl have finally been counted.
0:53:46 > 0:53:51Well today we have come to a conclusion and have been able to
0:53:51 > 0:53:56announce the successful candidates for Vice Captain and for Captain.
0:53:56 > 0:53:59I got Vice Captain, I'm actually really happy.
0:53:59 > 0:54:03I genuinely thought I was a nervous wreck on Friday and I thought, "No.
0:54:03 > 0:54:07"She's going to think she can't talk in assembly she can't do this."
0:54:07 > 0:54:11But I'm actually really happy that she let me through.
0:54:11 > 0:54:15It's Tom's job to break the news to Holyrood's new Head Boy and Girl.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18Max and Leonie, do you want to come through, please?
0:54:18 > 0:54:21Tom is delighted with the winning duo.
0:54:21 > 0:54:25- Good morning, congratulations.- Thanks very much.- Delighted with our new Head Boy and Head Girl.
0:54:25 > 0:54:27Come and have a seat for a moment.
0:54:27 > 0:54:29- Have you had a Captain's badge yet? - No.
0:54:29 > 0:54:35At great expense, no expense spared, these are the very, very expensive gold plated.
0:54:35 > 0:54:39Max and Leonie now have the chance to prove themselves
0:54:39 > 0:54:42worthy winners over the coming year at Holyrood.
0:54:42 > 0:54:43Thanks very much.
0:54:43 > 0:54:47Congratulations, wear them with distinction, with pride.
0:54:47 > 0:54:51- I know you will do that. - Thank you.- Thank you. - OK, see you both soon. Bye-bye.
0:54:51 > 0:54:53I'm delighted with both of them.
0:54:53 > 0:54:57Very pleased indeed. I sat back from the process a little bit to be more objective
0:54:57 > 0:55:00and let others have their say because at the end of the day
0:55:00 > 0:55:05it's the Captain, Head Boy and Head Girl of the school, not simply chosen by the Head Teacher.
0:55:05 > 0:55:08So I'm delighted with the end result and completely confident
0:55:08 > 0:55:11that they will do an excellent job in filling this role.
0:55:11 > 0:55:14- BOTH: The captains of the biggest school in Europe!- That is weird.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17I hadn't even thought of that actually, it didn't occur to me.
0:55:17 > 0:55:19- We have to live up to our names. - Definitely daunting now.
0:55:22 > 0:55:27Slowly but surely, Liam is working his way into the fabric of the school
0:55:27 > 0:55:30and is becoming more of a well-known and accepted face.
0:55:30 > 0:55:35- Hi, Liam!- Hey, Liam.- Hi, Liam!
0:55:38 > 0:55:41- Ah, sweet sound of silence. - How did they know who you are?
0:55:41 > 0:55:46Because they see me all the time and mostly because I carry my lunchbox around with me.
0:55:48 > 0:55:50Here we are.
0:55:50 > 0:55:56Liam has a long way to go, but there are real signs that he can more than cope in mainstream education,
0:55:56 > 0:55:58despite his Asperger's.
0:56:00 > 0:56:03This is Tony Begley's last day,
0:56:03 > 0:56:08although his normal lunchtime patrol may be a little different today.
0:56:08 > 0:56:14Mr Begley's leaving, so everybody's just kind of hugs and goodbyes cos he really was a good teacher.
0:56:14 > 0:56:17We're getting ready for Mr Begley.
0:56:17 > 0:56:21He did all the work for Malawi and he's done a lot for the school.
0:56:21 > 0:56:24So it's really a big thing for him leaving, I mean Malawi's going to carry on
0:56:24 > 0:56:26but it won't be the same without him.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29I think he's coming now.
0:56:29 > 0:56:31CROWD: Begley! Begley! Begley!
0:56:31 > 0:56:35CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:56:58 > 0:57:04Tony, will be a really sad miss to all of us, me and the children, we'll miss him very much indeed.
0:57:08 > 0:57:11I'm absolutely numb. Numb.
0:57:11 > 0:57:17Just, I know they're fantastic kids but I just... it's just been a hard day.
0:57:17 > 0:57:19It's a very emotional day.
0:57:19 > 0:57:24The children are the people that matter and they've just given me a lovely send off.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27Something I'll remember all my life. Thank you.
0:57:36 > 0:57:37Next term at Holyrood...
0:57:37 > 0:57:39So who was that there?
0:57:41 > 0:57:46Max tries to get a place at Oxford University.
0:57:46 > 0:57:49It's like getting my exam results all over again.
0:57:49 > 0:57:53Gillian starts selecting the kids that will be going to Malawi this year.
0:57:53 > 0:57:56You feel inadequate. You wonder what you've been doing with your life.
0:57:56 > 0:58:01And 1st Year Zoe tries to last a full day at Holyrood.
0:58:01 > 0:58:08I'm allergic to nuts, eggs, peas, beans, lentils, grass, pollen, quite a lot of allergies.
0:58:08 > 0:58:12Santino tries his hand at public speaking,
0:58:12 > 0:58:16while Margaret struggles to keep the school fashion show on track.
0:58:16 > 0:58:21Now, now, now. Come on, move, we're ready to start!
0:58:21 > 0:58:24And Bernadette gets tough with a 1st Year.
0:58:24 > 0:58:27You get in trouble, so what's the point of coming?
0:58:27 > 0:58:29He continues to defy us and to truant from school.
0:58:35 > 0:58:40Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd