Episode 1 High School

High School follows a year in the life of Holyrood Secondary School.

-No, it's a nightmare. So embarrassing.

-What's happening?!

Bang! OK?

-Showing the ups...

-SCREAMING

..and downs.

Nah.

The triumphs...

-..and the tears...

-I feel like crap.

..as the school battles to keep standards high...

You're not going into the school - this is not Holyrood.

..keep the show on the road...

He continues to defy us and to truant from school.

..and make it a successful year in one of Europe's biggest schools.

My instincts just say, "Punch him right in the mouth."

Today is the first day of the new academic year.

Holyrood Roman Catholic School is on the south side

of inner-city Glasgow,

and every morning, headmaster Tom McDonald greets

the students as they arrive.

In Holyrood, we have just about 2,000 children.

That includes about 400 starting for the very first time.

You certainly realise that young peoples' future is in your hands.

My job and the staff's job is supporting them to realise

those ambitions and dreams which they have for themselves.

Good morning. Good morning.

1-6, hands up.

Two rows, excellent.

1-7, two rows. And 1-8. Brilliant.

Bernadette O'Shea is in charge of 1st Year.

It's a huge job to get all the new starts settled.

I think they're feeling quite anxious about it.

They've put on the blazer, they've put on the uniform.

They're now officially part of Holyrood's community, Holyrood's family,

so they'll be nervous, but we'll do our best

to get round all the classes to make sure they're settled.

Good morning, boys and girls.

ALL: Good morning, Mr McDonald.

Is there someone out there? Good morning, boys and girls.

LOUDER: Good morning, Mr McDonald.

Because it's so big,

the whole school can't physically fit into one place.

While the 1st Years settle in,

the 6th formers only have one thing on their minds - who is going

to be voted this year's Head Boy and Head Girl.

Danny is very much in the running for Head Boy.

It starts off, you apply for it

and certain of the people get through according to the teachers.

The people who get through do a speech to...

I think it's just our year group, and then they vote

and whoever they think's talked the best, made the best points, gets in.

There's Max, who's a genius, teachers love him and he knows it.

So I think this year they're trying to find the best mix.

Someone who's a good speaker and is still popular.

You don't want an elected captain who nobody likes, so...

-Another Head Boy contender is Hash.

-I like to see myself

as Barack Obama, to be honest.

I think if he can do it, why can't I do it?

I don't think it should be that hard.

Hopefully it's not a popularity contest.

The right person should be chosen.

Cos if it was a popularity contest, obviously, I would win!

Competition amongst the girls is also fierce

and Sadia has thrown her hat into the ring.

I'm not the brainiest in the school but that's not what

it's about. You don't need to be brainy to be

a prefect or Head Girl, it's what you do in the school that counts.

Leonie is also keen to try for Head Girl at Holyrood.

I knew that I wanted to be like a prefect, I knew that.

So really, from there I thought that just give back to

the school because they've given me so much support through the years.

I thought it was only fair to do my part and give back to them

and help make this a really good 6th year.

The 1st Years start by looking at their goals in life.

Today is about, just, you know, giving them some kind of goal,

some sense there's more to school than just learning the "three Rs",

that, you know, this is about gearing them up for life.

So we're going to look as our aspirations and our ambitions

and maybe our desires for our time at Holyrood and beyond. OK?

-What do you want to be?

-Eh, a footballer.

-I want to be a football player.

-Football player.

-Football.

-A footballer or a joiner.

If I just... If I get good grades in this subject and that,

I'll be whatever I'm allowed.

I'm really not, "Oh, I want to be the best person".

I'm not really a bragger.

I'm just who I am.

That makes me who I am.

Pastoral teacher John is keeping a special eye on one of

the 1st Years called Liam, who has Asperger's syndrome.

In a sort of way, it's kind of an advantage.

For instance, I'm... I have a higher reading intelligence

than anyone in my class or my whole year group, you could say.

I mean, I was reading full nursery stories to my nursery school

when I was only four and I can imagine that...

They were all gobsmacked.

And I did it with expression as a full-grown adult would

to their children, when they were reading them a bedtime story.

But in a way, it's also got its down sides.

Sometimes I've got no sense of humour when someone tells me a joke.

I don't get the punch line and I can imagine how annoying that is.

If you actually have no sense of humour, you're more likely

to be sticking out from the crowd and be alienated

and that's one thing I definitely want to avoid.

Liam's an interesting wee boy. He's full of energy.

He's... He's always wanting to contribute to class discussions.

He's...

And I think he's becoming pretty well accepted by his peer group.

I think in terms of supporting him, social integration because

quite often Asperger's children can find themselves isolated.

Maybe they don't fit in with a particular crowd of children.

Although I have seen him with other children, you know,

so he clearly has come with a group of friends from his school,

who know him well and will support him too.

And we also have to give him opportunities to stand out

and shine just as we would do for any other children in 1st Year.

That's difficult when you've got 400 of them!

Even though it is a Roman Catholic school,

a number of Holyrood's kids come from a non-Catholic background.

Head-boy contender Hash

is getting involved collecting for flood victims in Pakistan.

The school's always been welcoming to any faith.

I myself am a Muslim, he's a Sikh, he's a Sikh.

But the school says we have respect towards every religion.

Like, for example, just now Ramadan's going on

and we get Friday afternoons,

we get an hour or two off to go to mosque to do our prayers, but

we also participate in... We have masses too in which we go to.

In the five years, and this is my sixth year in this school,

I've not one day faced any racism towards my religion.

None whatsoever.

Vice-head Tony is helping organise today's collection.

I'll put that in my office just now, just to keep it safe...

-A bit more from me.

-Oh, good girl, very generous.

Right, any more? Thank you very much.

The children in school are very generous.

Unfortunately, some of the children think that they have to put

pounds in, when in actual fact their loose change is really

all that we're looking for because in such a big school, it all

adds up to so much and normally we can get very significant sums.

Sadia is also in the thick of helping today and she's

already a popular frontrunner in the race to become Head Girl.

Right, so we've got £614.75

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

One of the biggest issues for young people

when coming from a small primary is, "Will I get lost?"

Yes, you will.

They are joining a very, very big campus and a very complicated campus

and you can sometimes spend five or ten minutes walking between classes.

So that they don't initially feel lost or disorientated,

they report every period... When the bell goes, they report to

the central yard, the central playground and are collected by their teachers.

But, at the end of the day, some will still get lost.

That is sometimes by design, not by accident.

Bernadette has to look after and make sure

400 bewildered 1st Years get to all the right classes.

It's going very well. It's been great,

It's just good to get them all settled.

Oh, here come three children who might be lost.

-Girls, where are you supposed to be?

-Gym.

Right, I'll take you over, girls.

That's great, OK? Thanks very much.

'I worry about them getting lost.

'I think they... In a huge school it's easy for that to happen.'

Hopefully, I don't think we've lost anybody yet, so...!

Head Boy and Head Girl contenders, Max and Leonie,

have just come back from the school trip to Malawi and are rushing to

finish a presentation that they're giving to the whole school about it.

Me and Max went in June there and it was a full year

of fund-raising we did to go and build a three-classroom block

and renovate two classrooms for special needs children.

From going to Malawi, my confidence level has just gone right up.

I'd have thought in 1st Year that I'd have maybe left school in 5th Year.

I never would have thought I'd have stayed on and be going for Head Girl.

To be honest, I don't know who I'll vote for, yet.

Depends, if they make a good speech, we'll see...

By lunchtime on the first day,

the new starts are settling in and Liam has caught up with

some of his old school friends from his primary school, St Mirren's.

They all know about his Asperger's and are used to having him around.

Over these past few years,

I've learnt how to cope with my syndrome and be able to blend in.

So basically, from the distance, I'm nothing more than an ordinary pupil.

I basically just blend in with the friends I know,

trying to look normal.

And that's how it works, really.

Not all children with Asperger's can cope with mainstream education

but Liam is determined to make it at Holyrood.

This morning, Holyrood has another 1st Year new addition.

A Romanian family have just arrived in Glasgow

and are hoping to enrol one of their boys.

Bernadette is waiting to make sure he is OK,

as she's not sure how much English he speaks.

A young lad called Gabriel coming in to join us this morning.

We enrolled him the other day.

I think, due to his language difficulties,

he will have to be assessed first in our bi-lingual unit.

Just going to wait for him to come in with his mum

and I'll spend the day looking at his needs and assessing his English.

Here he comes with his mum.

-Good morning.

-Good morning.

You look lovely this morning. Excellent.

OK, we have a problem with his shoes but we'll fix it.

OK. Don't worry about today. Are you glad to be here?

Are you glad to be here this morning, eh?

HIS MUM TRANSLATES

Good. Now I'm going to get an older pupil to take him upstairs to...

Oh, there's Mrs Boyle there. Hello, Mrs Boyle.

'The school from here, I don't think it's the same in Romania.'

I don't know what he will need, what it'll be, but...

-How do you feel?

-More scared than him!

He's very sensitive, you know. He's very sensitive and he's...

He's scared, this is the problem.

Gabby's English has to be assessed first before he's allowed

a place at Holyrood, and his mum hopes this will be the first step

in making a new life in Glasgow.

It's the interview stage for Head Boy and Head Girl selection

and first up, it's the girls.

A teacher's going to interview us. I think she'll just talk to us first

and then she'll take us one by one, but,

I'm going first apparently cos I have to get back upstairs.

She might just ask what we've done for the school,

what we are prepared to give up.

Erm, why we deserve it.

What we think we can do, what we think we're capable of.

Basically, blowing your own trumpet, just keep going on and on and on.

Knock it out the park!

First in to interview is Leonie.

All the chat is about which of the boys they think will get through.

-Daniel Aitken?

-I really think Daniel Aitken.

It'll come down to...

-I think Daniel will give a really good speech.

-Yeah.

What about Max?

-What about him?!

-He's got a good chance.

Yeah, he's a really good chance.

But I think when it comes to voting,

a lot of people in our year are going to have that

kind of attitude, it's somebody else's chance now to burst out

of that bubble, that it's someone else's chance to have a shot.

I've not to talk about it.

I'm a good girl, I don't break the rules.

'Leonie's one of these people who came to my attention'

way, way back in 1st Year.

She was a kind of caricature, stereotypical schoolgirl

with her pigtails and she hasn't changed very much.

Leonie's still a typical schoolgirl, not in a naive way,

a very, very able girl.

A very wise, mature girl.

But a girl who certainly does not act beyond her years.

Next out of the interviews is Sadia.

That's fine. Erm, I think I've maybe got through.

Sadia could probably do my job sometimes, I think.

She certainly is very articulate.

She has obvious leadership qualities.

People will follow Sadia's lead and when you talk to them

in company, Sadia's the one who people often look to.

All the girls think they've done well,

but only a few will make it through to the speeches stage of selection.

You're going to do subtraction. Take away...

Gabby has been assessed for his English language skills for most of the morning.

I'm going to join you for a break all right?

And Liam and his primary school friends have been asked to sit with him through lunch.

Aye, he's from Romania and he's just joined us.

He doesn't speak much English though.

But we're going to get used to him

and hopefully become a good friend of ours.

What work have you been doing? Work.

I would just introduce him to some of the teachers, make sure that

if he needs any help, I'll just take him to his pastoral care teacher and get it sorted.

I mean, I'm going to try and make every attempt I can to be,

well, be friends with him.

And I mean, for example, we had back in St Mirren's there was a boy, he was from Poland.

He didn't speak very good English when he was in P5

but over the years he developed and he's...I think he's at

St Margaret Mary's now. And his English is excellent.

With almost no English, Gabby will have to learn fast to continue at

Holyrood, and there is a real chance he may be moved to an outside specialist language school.

It's now the boys' turn to be interviewed for Head Boy selection.

-Are you nervous?

-A wee bit.

-When I did my last interview I just

kind of froze and I got too nervous, answered the questions.

-Hopefully I'll do better this time.

-Nervous, I suppose, good influence I would say.

Need to be confident.

Cheers.

Hashim's a very, very charming

young man who finds it very easy to engage with adults in conversation.

Someone who will stop and talk to you almost as a peer, as an equal.

He is also very, very respectful, too.

A young man whom I admire who's company I can

certainly enjoy and someone who certainly has the gift of the gab

and is a great communicator.

Hash is confident he'll get through to the speeches.

At the end of the day, they make the decision on who gets to actually do

the speech. Now I think it might be everyone, it might be all of us but

-I don't know.

-I think it's more of a competency thing. It's like they want to know

whether you'll be able to do the thing tomorrow.

Think this is a way just, it's not filtering necessarily anyone out.

Next in to interview is Max.

To some extent, people may see Max as Mr Perfect. Max has always looked,

turned out like a brand-new pin all the time. His punctuality,

his attendance, his articulation Max's challenge will be trying to promote

the support and engagement of his peers, cos some of his peers

may see Max as the kind of perfect student, the straight 5 As,

going to University and it's important the Head Boy and Head Girl

have all of these qualities, they also need to have credibility among their peers.

-I thought it was really short, like too short. I don't know.

-And...

The Head Boy and Head Girl contenders will have to wait until

the end of the week to see who doesn't make the final shortlist...

and who does.

It had a different guy in it...

Kids going to Holyrood come from all over the city. After just a week,

the boys from St Mirren's primary have left any first-day nerves behind.

When you come as a 1st Year and you see you all the other pupils like

really happy it gives you a good feeling like cos you think, well,

if they're all happy, then why wouldn't we be happy? There must be something good about this school.

See, if it weren't for Maths every day, I'd actually put in a complaint

that there should not be any weekends in the school. Because, like,

I'd... See how when it's like a Friday like you feel that good for a while

like there's no more school tomorrow, then you think,

no wait a minute, I don't want... I want school tomorrow.

Like it's great, I wish there was school every day.

I don't like school that much.

Hi, Calum.

Unfortunately for Liam, his old primary school friends aren't in any of his classes.

He's just coping really well with it. We've had some people like

trying to annoy him, but he's done really well, he's coped well with it.

I was his friend through primary since he came at P5 and he was just really... He's coping

really well, but he likes high school.

Liam, though, has started to get a hard time from a classmate.

I was minding my own business, just looking at the posters round the

room and the next thing I know, this guy in the same registration class

as me, is pushing me against the door frame, crushing my chest

and making it a bit hard to breathe. You can imagine how I felt.

Well, basically the first time he was just told off.

Oh, but it didn't end there. He then continued to do it, knowing it was hurting me.

But he just kept doing it until the teacher finally told him off

seriously with detention or something.

Today my dad sent in a letter to my head of year, Mrs O'Shea.

I got a letter from his Dad this morning, he was concerned that there

had been a wee incident I think the other day, where a boy had pushed

him and the boy had been warned not to do it and he pushed him again.

I spoke to the boy this morning, I said, he doesn't want

to be your friend. I think the boy thought he was being friendly.

I said, you need to keep away from him. So he's had a second

friendly warning if you like and hopefully that'll be the end of it.

And I phoned Dad to let him know I'd done that, so Dad was quite pleased.

My instincts just say punch him right in the mouth, but my brain

-just says differently.

-What does your brain say?

-Just ignore him,

but it'll just come up to a point where I just can't ignore that bully

-any more and just going to take it all out on him.

-Really?

-Yeah.

It just gets up to a point. I mean, even I have my boundaries.

Liam's a very articulate young man and I said to him

to come and speak to me if there's any more trouble, so I think he will do that.

-There you are.

-Thank you, sir.

Every year, a team of Holyrood staff and kids, led by Deputy Head Tony Begley,

head out to Malawi and this year's selection process has already started.

-OK. OK thank you, sir.

-Thank you very much, thanks.

-See you later.

No bother, bye-bye.

Fill in their applications. That's some of the applications and then we have to

start and sift through it and then select and what we have done in

the past is, we've actually ended up interviewing an awful lot of pupils.

Tony is so committed to helping in Malawi, he's now decided to give up

teaching and leave Holyrood to work for a Scottish charity.

I really have enjoyed being here. I just think the world of the school and the children.

They can be just be so funny. I mean, you can say the most innocuous thing

to children and one will always come back with something just, that's just particularly witty or

whatever's happening on X Factor or Big Brother or football or politics sometimes.

You know, somebody's always got a...

Somebody's always got an answer or a funny and I enjoy children.

I think you just get an enormous energy from

working with them, being around them. And sometimes they drive you crazy!

You have your moments, a bit up and down, but a lot

of the kids have expressed a bit of surprise and some a bit of

disappointment I'm going and others I'm quite sure will party!

With deputy head Tony leaving, Tom is having to re-shuffle the senior management team.

The problem just now is, we have advertised for a new Deputy Head Teacher. At the moment

Gillian Mimnagh, who's substantively Head of Biology in the school, is filling the post

and has been doing so since September, so she'll be one of

the applicants for due consideration.

Good, we're looking at osmosis and

we want to find out what osmosis meant.

'Gillian joined us just over three years ago or so. Very impressive'

young member of staff who certainly has acquitted herself extremely well in the current post and will be,

I suppose, a strong competitor for the post.

That will now take place on the 20th, the 21st and the 22nd. So providing...

It's almost harder in a sense that I've been the Acting, because part of me feels

if I don't get it, does it mean I wasn't very good?

There's that aspect, you know, and I always believe and I was always brought up that you always do

the very best that you can and you always... That was

instilled in me by my parents, by my own education, you always do

the best that you can. So, if I become a DHT, I'll do the very, very best that

I can. If that means that I can use that in...use those

skills as a head teacher, then who knows?

We look for someone who wants to be a head teacher. Someone who has

the ambition, determination to want to climb to the top, maybe take

my place one day. And has that capability to do that. They need to

demonstrate real commitment to the school. An absolute

commitment to children. If they don't impress upon me that they've got a real love for children,

there's no point applying for the post.

Teaching's a brilliant job. I mean you get to do things in teaching

that no other job would you get to do these things. You know,

I've been to amazing places, I've worked with amazing people.

I've got to participate in things that when you get to

a certain age you can't do any more, but if you're a teacher, you still have all this fun to have

cos you're still with all these young people

and I would love to get the Deputy job here, I really would.

Deputy Head Teacher is a senior position with responsibility for

a 400-strong year group and Gillian will face fierce competition

from several external candidates in two weeks' time.

Yes. That's right. Uh-huh.

-Leonie, when do you finish and I start? You start there?

-I start at "Malawi family..." blah blah blah.

Today, Max and Leonie are presenting their Malawi experience to each year in turn.

Oh, we're just preparing the presentation of Malawi to our

year group so hopefully they should give us support, they know that we've been, they've heard all about it

and stuff, so it should be good, it should go well.

For the 1st Year one, I wasn't nervous, I was just kind of a bit

wary like if they'd pay attention or whatever cos that they're younger, but I'm fine for

our year, they're my friends.

And what's happened was one day it was really pouring of rain...

Max and Leonie want to do a great presentation as it's Deputy Head

Tony's last ever assembly with the 6th form and he was the inspiration

behind their Malawi trip.

Hash has to leave early today, so he has been

given special permission to find out first if he has got through to the next stage of selection.

Although Tony still has a few days to go at Holyrood, this is the last time

the 6th Years will all be together before he leaves.

Tony Begley was the absolute inspiration behind all of this so

Tony I wish you all the very best indeed, you know I'll speak to you a whole lot in the future,

but I think from pupils in the school, especially the ones who know you best from 6th Year,

I think deserves one really big last round of applause.

APPLAUSE

'I've just known these children for 6 years, I love them. I think they are children who genuinely care.'

It would be a poor school if our children simply got Standard Grades and Highers and I hope,

hope Holyrood continues to give them more than that.

He works tirelessly for the young people of the school. When he goes on, he's going to do a different kind

of job, different motivation and we wish Tony the very best,

but certainly Holyrood will be a poorer place without Tony Begley.

Hash has had some surprising news.

-So what did she say?

-She said no.

Ah, she just says, "You've not made the cut." I don't know why, but...

-What does this mean?

-I don't know, actually. I'm going to go home. She said the girls

were better than the boys and she's going to cut a lot of the boys,

but then again there is only 6 boys and obviously you might have to have

a few people that are boys, if you're going to have like two or three people.

There's only two or three vice captains. So, I suppose...

I don't know, I don't. I just... A bit of a shock to be honest, but it's all right.

With Hash already out of the running, the other Head Boy and Girl

contenders are now about to find out who is through to the speeches round.

Hash didn't get through. He didn't, nobody knows why, well, I don't know why anyway.

So, he's not doing a speech tomorrow.

It's not really affected me. It might affect the boys more because it's them that are up against him.

What happens, happens. I'm resigned to it. There's nothing I can do now.

It's crunch time and they're called in, one at a time. Hash isn't the only boy who's not through.

Oh, no.

She explained pretty well why I didn't get in. I'm... I understand.

Leonie, though, is through.

I've to do my speech tomorrow, so she's given me a couple of pointers,

how to do my speech and that, so I don't really want

to tell anyone next door. She doesn't want to let them down or whatever, but I am so overwhelmed.

Max is next out.

Yeah, I'm through to the next round if you like so...

-How does it feel?

-Eh, good, just happy

that I got through, but we'll see how it goes. It's just one of these

things that the best person will get the job I'm sure.

Max's main competition, Danny, is also through.

CHEERING

She said that she loved my interview.

She thinks that I've got a really good reason for going through.

I'm not just doing it for the sake of a CV or something

and I'm a perfect candidate.

Ohhhh!

Sadia is through to tomorrow's speeches.

But tomorrow is Eid, an important Muslim festival

and she is working late in her mum's shop tonight.

Between tonight and tomorrow we are pretty busy.

As you can see we're open until at least 12 o'clock, I'd say.

One year we were open till about four o'clock in the morning.

We can be here all night if need be.

I've not really prepared a speech, to be honest.

I'm just worried that if I'm tired tomorrow,

you know, you start babbling sometimes when you're tired.

I'm a bit worried about that.

Despite working late in her mum's salon,

Sadia needs to perform well to win tomorrow.

DOORBELL

Hiya, how can I help?

Three weeks into the term, Gabby is still at Holyrood

and it's still in the balance

whether or not he needs to be moved to a specialist language school.

Look, it's Thierry Henry.

His brother has just arrived from Romania

and has joined him at Holyrood

although his English is better than Gabby's.

This school is very good.

It's big.

The teacher is very good with child.

Help us, you know, it's a very good school,

it's very good.

This is Gabriel uniform, and this one.

It's beauty.

THEY SPEAK ROMANIAN

He was very afraid if because they send him on another school,

because he have a problem with the language,

he doesn't speak very well English

and it's a problem when he doesn't understand very well.

My brother is help me very much. He show me everything. He show me where is the classroom.

I know he's a clever boy and he can give, you know,

can take everything like, I'm not really sure about what that called.

Gabby's English needs to improve

if he's going to keep his place at Holyrood

but what his mum doesn't know is that he's been skipping school.

Today it's a big test of nerves for the potential school captains,

as a good speech can make all the difference in the voting.

This is my attempt at a speech, an attempt to be somewhat funny,

which will not happen.

It will, I'll laugh.

I'm so nervous.

I was up till half three, I was up again at six.

So tired right now but, I'm ready,

I just told her my speech and she's happy.

I think she'll be good, I'm sure she'll do good.

I've had a stomach ache all morning.

Really nervous but I'm first. My speech is quite quick.

I really didn't practise it, I just started making it up on the spot

and the same thing will happen again.

I'm nervous about actually speaking in front of people

but I think the speech is good enough.

The speech is probably the most nerve-racking bit,

I'll just see how it goes.

Just hope it goes well,

in case I just bomb in front of everyone.

The girls' competition is wide open

but it seems that Max and Danny may be the boys to beat.

After a difficult start at Holyrood for Liam,

the winter term has been a challenge.

Wee bit concerned that he's getting a wee bit isolated.

He's a lovely lad.

I don't think Liam's too concerned about it

but I'm a wee bit concerned that Liam is getting through school on his own

rather than, you know, with a group of friends.

You see, I don't think there's a particular problem in classes.

He's OK in class, he's engaged, he's busy, he's working.

At lunchtime he could end up being at a loose end,

aye, and I guess that's my concern, is that you know,

I find him maybe sitting in a corner some day on his own.

It's just this feeling of isolation. I know that can be very real for children who have Asperger's,

so I'm a wee bit concerned about that.

But ultimately it's Liam's decision whether or not he wants to be involved in group activities.

He's not fond of them but I don't like to see him,

I don't like to see anybody on their own.

But particularly Liam.

The staff are right to be worried

and Liam is feeling more and more picked-on.

Whenever I see them,

they're getting at me.

It's like, it's like poison, it's small at first

but it just spreads to become a big problem

and I don't want it to become a problem.

I just want this, I want to get this out the road,

just out of my head so I can focus on other things.

I just want to be myself,

not some sort of muppet that looks good

but really inside is just trapped.

It's as though I have to look cool to act against my will.

I just want to be me. Just the real me, the personalities,

the likes, the dislikes, the hobbies, everything.

Everything about me.

I like myself and I wouldn't want to change any bit of it.

Liam is struggling to fit in.

For him to stay on in mainstream education,

he has to find a way of integrating at Holyrood rather than isolating himself.

Good morning, my best wishes to all the candidates.

I'm sure every one of them would do a fantastic job.

Good luck to you all. We look forward to hearing your presentations.

Sadia is first up.

First of all, talking of appearance

and the reason I'm dressed like this, is because it's Eid

and I've just come from my prayers,

so I'm going to make this quite short and sweet.

One of the reasons that I think I'm suitable...

Sadia's fears about not being well enough prepared

are being realised.

Maybe they'll stop if they have a role model that doesn't do that so much.

And she's cut her speech really short.

Thank you.

Next up is Leonie.

I just want to start by saying for several years, Holyrood has felt like a home to me.

I think that it's our turn as sixth years to do our part for our school.

When I began first year at Holyrood,

I'll be honest and say I never even did dare to think I'd be standing here running for Captain today,

I thought I'd have spent my sixth year with my friends from St Brides

and getting kind of average grades.

That might have happened if I'd gone to another school but not Holyrood.

You will be, and ultimately are, my main priority.

I won't let you down.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

CHEERING

The person getting the biggest cheer as they come to the rostrum is Danny.

Bigger applause than I expected.

Hi, I'm Daniel.

Most of youse know me quite well.

Some of youse know me better

and a few of youse know me a bit too good for my own good.

LAUGHTER

I'm here to run for the Captain

and I'd like to start off by saying I wouldn't be here

unless I thought I was the best candidate for the job.

Thanks, Kirsten!

Danny's speech is going down well.

Vote for me to be your mouth piece and I will get what you need said, said.

Vote for me and I will not let you down.

Thank you.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Max is up next

and will have to do a great speech to beat Danny.

Kind of a bit of a hard act to follow, don't you think?

Thanks very much for that, guys!

Communication is something that's very important this year for us

especially if we want to get our first choice of course at uni,

get to the college we want.

I think I'd be a good person to communicate between us and the teachers.

We need someone who will be a good link between us and the teachers.

It's too bad we can't do it through Facebook, so, sorry, Heather.

LAUGHTER

Max's speech is also going really well.

Thank you very much for listening, and enjoy the rest of your day,

thank you.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

I think I was terrible.

I started shaking, I started panicking.

I'd forgotten everything I wanted to say.

It sounded kind of good in my head but I don't know to everyone else.

I think it could have went better. There were some things I completely forgot to put in.

But what I did put in got an OK response, I think.

After hearing the rest of them, I pretty much scrapped mine,

cos, oh I don't know, the competition was incredibly tough.

So, we'll see.

The votes will be counted over the weekend

and the new School Captains appointed next week.

Max and Danny both did well.

Obviously I would have been better.

There's so much I could have said.

There's so much I could have said

and I didn't say not even a quarter of it.

I just didn't say enough. Awww! I could actually punch myself.

Bernadette knows Liam's still struggling

and is determined to see if she can help.

-He's upset today.

-Just a wee bit troubled.

OK. So is this something new that's happened?

A small group of them

that whenever I see them they say, like, "Justin Bieber".

I mean, take it you saw him in the X Factor, miming,

bad write up, absolutely hate him.

I've been hating for what, two years now?

You hate Justin Bieber?

Yeah. Pop star. Teen girls go crazy for him.

He's 16 and he hasn't hit puberty yet.

That's the grudge I've got against him.

That's the grudge...

I mean, they say I like him,

which is completely contradicting what I say,

of course I get angry myself and sometimes retort with, well...

It's just kind of a dam of anger,

as in, like, a dam water, like Hoover Dam.

I'm not saying it as though the D-A-M-N, I'm saying it as though it's like a water dam.

Of course, this could be even mentioned about three years later, it could be a huge problem.

I could be failing my exams.

Yes, but we're not going to let that happen obviously.

Just going downhill,

but I'm glad I'm being... having it dealt with right now.

Right, I'm going to identify those boys tomorrow then, Liam,

and I'll have a little word with them, OK,

then that should stop after that.

Good. Problem solved.

I mean, I don't settle.

I just will not stop at anything less until I'm back on track.

You're fine, you'll be back on track no problem.

I'll let you go back to your IT class now.

French, actually.

This isn't the first time

we've had to deal with a situation like that with Liam, you know,

where children have said things to him.

He's obviously very sensitive to the fact that he has said

that he doesn't like this particular singer.

The children are kind of making fun of it and he wants it dealt with.

So we'll deal with it tomorrow.

Generally it's just a case of a quiet word in their ear.

They realise they may be taking it a bit too far.

Anything we get to know about in school, we'll certainly deal with.

-Do you want to take this while I have a chat with Mum about it?

-Sure.

Bernadette is working with pastoral care teacher Robert

monitoring first year truancy issues.

She's surprised to hear who is first on the list of kids who are skipping school.

We are a bit concerned about his attendance.

His attendance rate currently is under 85%, you know.

He's had quite a few absences,

if you have a look here from there until there, OK?

Are you aware of all these absences at all?

I know about them, yes.

He had, even now, he came from one of the dentist,

he have all night when he doesn't sleep, you know?

In the morning he couldn't wake up.

But in actual fact he's absent some afternoons.

He was in school in the morning and not here in the afternoon.

What I want to say, it was very hard for him.

When he came in this school he doesn't know to say just, "Hello, my name is..."

This is very hard for him because it's very big school.

Yes, but he can go with other in his class.

-You have friends in your class, don't you?

-Yes.

Well you would go to your next class with other children.

He doesn't make social subjects because he can't understand.

When you're missing classes, it is difficult for you to catch up.

-Yes.

-So if you're here every day it becomes easier

to keep in touch with your other friends and also with what's going on in all the different classes.

I'm going to help you with that with by giving...

Gabby has to report to Bernadette for an attendance card

which he gets filled in at the end of every lesson.

Thanks very much for coming. See you in the morning, OK?

Mum's concerned about the fact he's not making progress in some of the subject areas

but he needs to be here in order to get the help he needs,

so if he's feeling isolated maybe because he's not here as often as he should be

and that can only improve, you know, if he comes to school all the time, so...

This isn't the start in Scotland Gabby's mum was hoping for.

Gabby needs to change his behaviour

starting by turning up tomorrow morning at Bernadette's office.

In order to help Liam to join in with life at Holyrood,

the school have encouraged him to help out at morning Mass with Father Anthony.

I know Liam very well, and he's a...

He's Liam, you know.

Eh, he's a laugh.

You need some patience to deal with him but he's good,

and the fact he's at Mass means that he can participate,

means he can help and means that he is doing something,

so rather than standing around, he's doing something, he's active.

He is due in this morning and Father Anthony knows what to expect.

You never know quite when he's going to turn up either.

You'll hear tales of, "Oh, the bus was late

"and the second bus was late and I couldn't get on that bus..."

Because of some reason, I don't know what.

But we'll hear all about it.

He never keeps anything to himself, which, I suppose, is a great character trait but, uh,

it can be annoying as well!

-Morning, Father.

-Hello, Liam how are you doing?

-Fine.

-What happened this morning?

-Oh, bus was crowded.

Like a sardine tin, God. Hard enough getting in.

Right, OK, come on and hurry up.

Just lucky I was able to make it and no more.

The school are trying to involve Liam

in as many activities as possible to encourage him to be less isolated.

Lord have mercy.

It's the morning of the Deputy Head Teacher interviews and Gillian is in Holyrood early.

She's up against several strong external candidates.

Really nervous. I feel ill.

I feel ill, I've been up since like half six just looking over things.

And it's not so much like kind of learning things, it's just making sure that I've got in my head

all the things that I want to say and kind of, I just really want to give a good account of myself.

Interviews are nerve-wracking for everyone concerned,

but when you know the panel, are working in the school, acting the position,

the expectations are high and rather than walk in and be anonymous, people know who you are.

So it's difficult to, I think, perform.

More of a challenge, but she should feel confident.

It means everything to me to be honest with you,

cos I just think that, you know, I've worked hard and this is something I really want

and I feel that, I feel that I've got the ability to do this and to do like be a good depute,

so it's really just a matter of making sure that that comes across in the interview.

While Bernadette is always delighted to receive surprise pictures for her wall,

what she really wants is that Gabby will turn up as promised.

He hasn't appeared yet, so I expect to see him before the bell goes.

The expectations are that his attendance will improve.

If there was no attempt to improve that attendance, we might have to take stronger action,

referring the case on to the reporter, the social work department, that kind of thing.

-Morning Gabriel, how are you?

-I'm fine.

-Good boy, well done for remembering to come.

A teacher will sign to say that you have arrived on time at class, first of all, OK,

and then just sign it to make sure that you're here. So every period we will see that you are in school.

Gabby will stay on morning report until his attendance improves.

Gillian has to wait while the other candidates

are interviewed for the job by Tom, another head teacher, parents and other deputy heads.

My mum actually is a retired head teacher.

The fact that I go for these things is because of my mum and dad.

They're very much, "You do your best and work your hardest."

Like last night I went over after school and, you know, they were kind of giving me mock interviews

and stuff like that, and kind of asking me questions and things so, they're really, really supportive.

-Are you feeling relaxed, not at all nervous?

-Eh, very nervous.

Finally, it's Gillian's turn to face the music.

Crucial to the school keeping tabs on the pupils is a morning registration period,

where individual teachers get to know a group of kids.

I think he's still very quiet. I think his language is a bit of a problem for the rest of the group.

Em, I think that em he sometimes sits on his own.

He has definitely got a lot more confident over the last few weeks since he's been here.

He seems to be slightly more chatty and obviously his language has come with that

and that makes him fit in slightly better.

I answered all the questions, so there was no kind of big kind of gaps, or anything like that, em...

Gillian is relieved it's all over and thinks she has done as well as she could have in the interview.

I 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.

I feel, you know, it wasn't a complete disaster.

After discussing the candidates with the panel,

Tom now has to break the news to Gillian about the job for the Deputy Head of Year.

I'm going to try and track down Gillian and let her know the outcome of the interviews today.

I'm sure she'll be anxious to know what's happened, so we'll try and, try and track her down.

He's decided to tell Gillian face to face.

-Congratulations!

-Oh, thank you very much, thank you!

On one condition.

-Yes.

-From now on you call me Tom!

-Yes, that's true.

-And not Mr McDonald.

-I do, actually.

-Oh, brilliant!

-Come and see the panel?

-Yes, thank you very much.

-Congratulations.

-The choice wasn't difficult. The choice wasn't difficult.

-So well done.

-Thank you.

-The interview, outstanding interview and very well deserved, so.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-Bye-bye.

I'm going to phone my mum again and phone my Dad and let them know that I got it.

Oh! So happy. It's brilliant! I'm so excited. It's great.

The interview for Gillian was outstanding.

I mean, she said all the right things. Came across as committed,

enthusiastic, great view of strategy, vision.

Eh, a perfect candidate. The perfect candidate.

-'Hello.'

-Hello, Dad, it's me. I got it!

-'You got it?'

-Yes.

-'Congratulations! I'm really proud of you, Gillian.'

-Thank you, thank you.

Gillian now has the responsibility for 400 2nd Years

and will have the rest of the year to prove herself the right choice for the job.

Right, see you later. Yes!

This is yours.

Today, the winners of the race for Head Boy and Head Girl are going to be announced.

Mum, is there a towel anywhere?

But Leonie is more concerned that Vice Head Tony is leaving Holyrood.

He'll be an emotional wreck because that's what he was like.

So I'm not, I'm not really looking forward to seeing him,

because I know he'll be so upset. But we'll all be upset as well.

That's why the whole Malawi team are coming to say goodbye to him.

But a lot of people will be really upset because he always puts the school first.

Like, he's in most mornings from half seven and that's him right throughout,

he misses his lunch to patrol down in the canteen during lunchtime,

he just does absolutely everything for the school.

He never puts himself first, even with Malawi and Mary's Meals, it's always about them first.

He just does everything for them. I'm going to miss him.

After a difficult start, Gabby has been taken off early morning reports

and is now doing well at Holyrood, as his English improves.

My son, he's managing English, they said "Oh, yes he's managing very well you know."

Some friend of mine, they learn me English from you know.

That was OK for me.

He's trying to learn Pakistani now. Friends, Pakistani, he's trying to,

to learn all the Punjabi. I don't know what but he is trying to learn!

Tony is normally in school by seven and even though it's his last day, today is no exception.

It's some of our new 5th Year girls, they've arranged the cake here which is wonderful.

It's got the wee African chant we like on the front "Wazza Wazza",

which is part of a wee chant that we were taught by our friends in Malawi.

And they've very generously, rather than give me a gift, they've actually raised money, so they've got £110.

And a nice card, that actually means more to me because you know,

the gifts I appreciate so much but I'm not short of...

I've got most things a man needs, what do you get the man that's got everything?

So, my emotions are raw and it sort of twangs at the heart strings.

They're just lovely children and it just makes me feel that it's not 20 years wasted.

The staff and pupil votes for Head Boy and Head Girl have finally been counted.

Well today we have come to a conclusion and have been able to

announce the successful candidates for Vice Captain and for Captain.

I got Vice Captain, I'm actually really happy.

I genuinely thought I was a nervous wreck on Friday and I thought, "No.

"She's going to think she can't talk in assembly she can't do this."

But I'm actually really happy that she let me through.

It's Tom's job to break the news to Holyrood's new Head Boy and Girl.

Max and Leonie, do you want to come through, please?

Tom is delighted with the winning duo.

-Good morning, congratulations.

-Thanks very much.

-Delighted with our new Head Boy and Head Girl.

Come and have a seat for a moment.

-Have you had a Captain's badge yet?

-No.

At great expense, no expense spared, these are the very, very expensive gold plated.

Max and Leonie now have the chance to prove themselves

worthy winners over the coming year at Holyrood.

Thanks very much.

Congratulations, wear them with distinction, with pride.

-I know you will do that.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-OK, see you both soon. Bye-bye.

I'm delighted with both of them.

Very pleased indeed. I sat back from the process a little bit to be more objective

and let others have their say because at the end of the day

it's the Captain, Head Boy and Head Girl of the school, not simply chosen by the Head Teacher.

So I'm delighted with the end result and completely confident

that they will do an excellent job in filling this role.

-BOTH: The captains of the biggest school in Europe!

-That is weird.

I hadn't even thought of that actually, it didn't occur to me.

-We have to live up to our names.

-Definitely daunting now.

Slowly but surely, Liam is working his way into the fabric of the school

and is becoming more of a well-known and accepted face.

-Hi, Liam!

-Hey, Liam.

-Hi, Liam!

-Ah, sweet sound of silence.

-How did they know who you are?

Because they see me all the time and mostly because I carry my lunchbox around with me.

Here we are.

Liam has a long way to go, but there are real signs that he can more than cope in mainstream education,

despite his Asperger's.

This is Tony Begley's last day,

although his normal lunchtime patrol may be a little different today.

Mr Begley's leaving, so everybody's just kind of hugs and goodbyes cos he really was a good teacher.

We're getting ready for Mr Begley.

He did all the work for Malawi and he's done a lot for the school.

So it's really a big thing for him leaving, I mean Malawi's going to carry on

but it won't be the same without him.

I think he's coming now.

CROWD: Begley! Begley! Begley!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Tony, will be a really sad miss to all of us, me and the children, we'll miss him very much indeed.

I'm absolutely numb. Numb.

Just, I know they're fantastic kids but I just... it's just been a hard day.

It's a very emotional day.

The children are the people that matter and they've just given me a lovely send off.

Something I'll remember all my life. Thank you.

Next term at Holyrood...

So who was that there?

Max tries to get a place at Oxford University.

It's like getting my exam results all over again.

Gillian starts selecting the kids that will be going to Malawi this year.

You feel inadequate. You wonder what you've been doing with your life.

And 1st Year Zoe tries to last a full day at Holyrood.

I'm allergic to nuts, eggs, peas, beans, lentils, grass, pollen, quite a lot of allergies.

Santino tries his hand at public speaking,

while Margaret struggles to keep the school fashion show on track.

Now, now, now. Come on, move, we're ready to start!

And Bernadette gets tough with a 1st Year.

You get in trouble, so what's the point of coming?

He continues to defy us and to truant from school.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd