The Value Moving On

So...what do you know about our school, Amani?

Above the national average in size, 1,400 pupils.

The catchment area has high unemployment

and a large number of students claim free school meals.

The students struggle to get the five A-C grades

at Key Stage 4, which I'd love to help tackle.

What separates you from the other candidates we've seen today?

I have a first in English Literature and a distinction in my PGCE.

I'm moving 200 miles from my home

because I want to teach in this school. I'd rather be at home

marking English homework or prepping my next lesson.

-That's sad, I know.

-No, it isn't.

-I'm prepared to work

harder than anyone else, make more sacrifices than anyone else,

work longer hours than anyone else.

You do understand the challenges you may face?

-I think so.

-You think so?

I could stay at home and find a job in a nice middle-class comp.

Why don't you?

Because that's not me. I'm not interested in taking the easy path.

I'm young, full of energy, full of fight

and I want to make a difference. I know that

I can make a difference in this school.

I'm terrified by the prospect of this job, I really am.

And if my legs would have stopped shaking for a second,

I might have walked out ten minutes ago, but...

But I really want this job.

I really want to be a part of this school

and I'm prepared to go through whatever it takes

to make it work.

If you could choose one word

to best express your personality, your character,

that encompasses you as a person, what would that one word be?

Honesty.

PHONE RINGS

-Hello?

-WOMAN: 'Miss Sarin?' Yes, it is.

'I have some good news for you.'

-OK.

-'The Principal would like to offer you a job

-'in the English Department.'

-Thank you! Thank you SO much!

I won't let you down. I promise, I won't let you down.

'The paperwork will be sent out this week, with an e-mail to follow.'

-Thanks so much.

-'You're welcome.' OK. I won't let you down.

-'OK.'

-Thanks. Bye, bye, bye!

-'Bye-bye.'

Dad! Dad?

-What's wrong?!

-I got the job, Dad. I got the job!

Well done.

I'm so happy for you, sweetheart.

Come in.

BELL

CHATTER

Can you turn your chair round, please.

-What's his name?

-James.

James, can you turn your chair round, please? James!

Is she new?

-I've never seen her before.

-What's this story about?

Anyone?

Well, I've started with an easier... Can you put your phone away, please?

-An easier story, something you'll recognise.

-Is she talking to you?

What's your name?

-What's her name?

-Morgan.

-Morgan, can you put your phone away, please?

GIRL LAUGHS

Euw! Did you see the way she...

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a classic.

A classic tale of... Can you all put your phones away?!

To understand the story of Frankenstein properly,

it's best if we look at the author's traumatic life.

Why don't you just read it, then?

Born in 1797, Mary's mother died days after giving birth to her.

-Oh, she's doing me head in.

-I know - and mine.

You can tell she's new, can't you?

BELL

METAL CREAKS

I'm impressed.

First day and you find this place.

The smokers were all heading to the bus stop, so I...

So you walked in the opposite direction?

-What, can't stand them already?

-No!

You're as far away from the school as you can get, without doing a runner.

Electric? Really?

-What's your excuse?

-Well, this WAS my local.

And I'm a solitary puffer, no-one really comes round here.

Been at the school long?

Four years.

-What do you teach?

-I'm a mentor.

HE LAUGHS

-Not impressed?

-I...didn't say that.

No, but your eyebrows did.

It's OK, I get that look from a lot of the newbies.

Really?

This place closed down a couple of years ago.

The old landlords just sold up and retired.

New people came in, with their posh food and fancy wine

and, within a year, it was like this.

They misjudged the ethos and the mindset of the people round here.

And that is?

You can lead a man to knowledge, but you can't make him think.

Confucius?

Matches.

BOTH LAUGH

HUBBUB

-Get on!

-Quick!

BELL RINGS REPEATEDLY

-GIRL: Here's Missie! You all right, Missie?!

-What you doing here, miss?

Where's your socks? You forgot to put socks on today!

LAUGHTER

Excuse me, love, are you a teacher? Yes, you. Are you a teacher?

Can you have a word with this lot? Get them to calm down.

GIRLS WHOOP

PHONE RINGS

-SHE SIGHS

-Dad!

Where have you been? I've been ringing for ages!

I've just this second walked through the door.

Well, how did it go?

Yeah...

..really well.

What did you choose?

Frankenstein.

-'Really?'

-I wanted to start with something they'd identify with.

All the vampire movies.

Hmm. I would have gone with

'Lord of the Flies or To Kill a Mockingbird. Something challenging.'

-SHE SIGHS

-They're not those sort of kids.

Kids are kids. Give them a challenge and they'll respond.

'What do Scout and Jem learn during Mockingbird? What happens to ruin

'Ralph and Jack's friendship in Lord of the Flies?'

Look, Dad, can I call you back?

-There's someone at the front door.

-'What happens...'

BELL HUBBUB

-Sit down, please!

-Tell her, miss!

-ALL: Ohh!

-Are you threatening me? Don't touch me!

You're not allowed to touch me!

-Sit down, please.

-I'll get you done! One finger and I'll get you done.

I'm asking you to sit down!

ALL LAUGH

-ALL:

-# There's only one Mr Penrose! #

-OK, settle down. The lot of you.

Everything OK, Miss Sarin?

-Everything's fine.

-OK. I was just passing.

BELL

-You didn't need to do that.

-Real fags. Wow! That didn't take long.

I don't need saving. I'm not a damsel in distress.

Don't know what hacked me off more -

the fact that you thought I needed help or that they

swooned at you, as soon as you stuck your head through the door?

You must admit, I do have a certain charm.

SHE SIGHS

-You're an idiot.

-A smile!

Hold on...let me capture this moment for posterity.

Don't! I look terrible.

You're joking? You're...

Well, you're stunning.

SHUTTER CLICKS

Now I just need your number to go with the picture.

BELL

CHATTER

I'm waiting!

CHATTER CONTINUES

I'm...waiting!!

CHATTER CONTINUES

BELL

'I think I've turned a corner.'

Your mother would be proud.

What have you been up to?

'Keeping busy, you know.'

-Doing what?

-'Lots.'

-Are you getting out of the house?

-HE LAUGHS

All the time.

Dad...

..you've got to get on with your life.

-'Can't sit and dwell.'

-I'm not.

-You're coming here for Christmas, though?

-'Of course.'

-Good.

-'You'll have the whole school

'eating out of the palm of your hand by then.'

-Do you have a boyfriend, miss?

-Just sit down!

-Is Mr Penrose your boyfriend?

-I'm going to choose to ignore that.

Can you take your coat off please, Morgan?

-Your GCSEs are very important.

-Kara fancies Mr Penrose, miss.

-Sit down.

-She fancies you, miss.

Oh, yeah, that's right, I fancy her.

Sit down or you're going to the headmistress.

Why are you picking on me?

Morgan's got her coat on and her phone out.

Will you stop messing about! I'm sick of it!

Do you realise how lucky you are having a free education?!

There are kids in other countries who would die to be sitting where

you are right now. There are girls

in Pakistan who have been shot in the head

cos they campaigned for the right to be educated.

You lot come in here like you own the bloody place!

Do you want to leave here without any qualifications

and live on benefits for the rest of your lives, like a bunch of chavs?!

DOOR OPENS

Please, don't worry about it, I will sort it.

-Thanks, Mr McDonald, I'll be in touch.

-Good. Come on, love.

Miss Sarin.

-When you chose to call your pupils chavs...

-I didn't mean it.

..you are spewing your utmost contempt at them.

-No, I...

-To do it behind closed doors is bad enough...

-I would never...

-But... But...to shout it across a full classroom

at the very children you have contempt for,

quite frankly, defies belief.

You're a school teacher, not some mouthy union leader.

And as a teacher, you have a duty of care -

a duty of care that stretches way beyond any...any personal opinions

you may have. A duty of care that insists you treat your pupils

with respect and decency, regardless of their

background and social status, yes?

Yes.

SHE SIGHS

The first thing I would do, were it me in your position,

is to apologise.

I'm sorry.

Not to me... To your class.

CHATTER

I'm sorry.

CHATTER CONTINUES

It's hardly surprising this lot are the way they are,

with the level of dross that's teaching them these days.

-Did you ever listen to your teachers?

-Yeah, I did, yeah.

And you're driving a bus for a living.

'No, I'm not making a complaint,'

I just want to apologise.

-Apologise, yeah, to one of your drivers.

-MAN: 'What for?'

-Cos I was a bit off.

-'Erm...OK.'

Look, I just want to say sorry for what I said. It was wrong.

Number 32 bus.

'What one?'

Look, this is a bad line. Number 32 bus.

Miss!

I'm diabetic!

SHE COUGHS

Me, too, miss. HE COUGHS

BELL

-MAN ON PHONE

-I'm not saying that.

I'm saying, if your son applied himself more,

-he'd be capable of passing.

-HE SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY

There's no need for... There's no need for that sort of language.

-I'm just saying he has great potential.

-'Eh?'

HUBBUB

Put him down, right now!

You two, follow me! Now, get out! Shut it! Get out,

both of you! Come on...out!

-Back to you seats.

-BELL

HE SIGHS

I did say don't bother - and you really haven't.

In your dreams, mate.

Three of them came up before the end of the lesson and gave me these.

I nearly burst into tears.

-And I don't want to hear what you got.

-I didn't get anything.

-Ah! Bless your little cotton socks.

-Because I tell them not to.

Most of them are skint, they've not got a pot to pee in.

Why would I expect a gift from them,

when I'm getting paid to do exactly what I'm supposed to do?

SHE SIGHS Amani...

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

You know, if they've managed to scrap a few pennies together

to get you these, then it must mean they like you.

-Chavs have feelings, too.

-Please don't offer me kindness, Hugh.

Twice in one day might be a step too far.

Well, I, too, come bearing gifts,

-but not gold and frankincense.

-And that's why you're a mentor.

Thanks(!)

I come bearing community spirit. SHE SIGHS

Look! OK, the staff are having a night out over the holidays.

They know you're anti-social, but they want you to come.

-They think I'm anti-social?

-It was a joke.

-I'm not anti-social.

-Amani, it was a joke. I'm going to go, are you going?

-OK.

-OK? I'll come. Good.

MUSIC: "Driving Home For Christmas" by Chris Rea

Was it OK?

Your mother made the best roast potatoes.

Do you want pudding?

It's not the same.

No.

I wish she was here.

So do I.

LAUGHTER ON TV

HE LAUGHS

-Call me when you get home.

-It's been nice.

-I'll come home at half term, to see you.

-Don't make any promises.

Dad, I'll be there.

Sorry I haven't been good company.

You've been fine. I'll be home in a few weeks, I promise.

OK.

Drive safe.

I'll call you.

DANCE MUSIC PLAYS

MUSIC: "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" by Wizzard

HAIRDRYER WHIRS

PHONE RINGS

SHE SOBS PHONE RINGS

DOOR BELL

Amani! It's me, Hugh.

Look, I just wanted to see if you were OK?

I could only cope with so much of Sandra's hysterectomy saga.

Amani?

DOOR BELL

-Give me a minute!

-Old Bob started talking about going clubbing

and that was the final straw for me. I'm not giving him CPR

in the middle of the dance floor at two in the morning.

-You OK?

-Er...no.

-What's wrong?

-It's a stomach thing. A virus or something.

I rang a few times?

Oh...the phone needs charging.

-Can I get you something? Anything?

-No. Thanks.

You should get back to the party.

I only went because you said you were going.

-Sorry.

-Look, it's fine, I don't mind.

We could stay in and get a takeaway and some wine.

-I'm ill.

-Just wine, then.

Please, go away.

I'm losing my hair!

I understand, but this is more common than you might think.

The fact that other people have this doesn't help me.

-Here are some leaflets about the illness.

-Is there a cure?

There are treatments, with varying degrees of success,

but there's no curer, as such, no.

Stress is often associated with alopecia.

Destressing may be a way of levelling your immune system.

Destressing? Are you kidding?

I have to stand in front of...

..of emotional predators, five days a week!

You see this...

Oh, they'll love this. A fresh carcass to them.

I walk into the classroom like this and they will...slaughter me.

Or they'll have my life.

My stress levels can only go one way.

There are some very good hairpieces available now.

A wig?

You might want to consider counselling. Anti-depressants?

-What will anti-depressants do? They can't help me!

-See how you feel.

-I don't want your anti-depressants!

-You may not want them right now...

Thanks.

MUSIC: "Home" by Gabrielle Aplin

# I'm a phoenix in the water

# A fish that's learned to fly

# And I've always been a daughter

# But feathers are meant for the sky

# So, I'm wishing, wishing further... #

BELL Do I look like Captain Jack, miss?

Very good, James. Back to your desk, please.

OK, everyone, holidays are over, back to school work.

Come on, you lot, you have THE most important term ahead.

-Morgan, phone!

-In a minute. Now! Put it away!

All right! Keep your hair on, miss!

BELL

I was ill and you were trying to get me into bed.

-I wasn't trying to get you into...

-Why not?

I can't win with you!

HE SIGHS

Hey, come here. Come on.

HE SIGHS Right, let me help.

-I don't need help.

-OK, no help. Advice, then?

Get back in that classroom and make a stand.

Show them who's boss.

BELL

Put your phone away, please, Morgan.

Put your phone away, please, Morgan!

-Can you put your phone away, please?

-No.

Oi! AMANI SCREAMS

MORGAN SCREAMS Have you seen this? Urgh! James!

-Urgh! A dead rat!

-GIRLS SCREAM

-Please! Please, give it back!

-Miss Egghead!

Please don't do this.

She looks like Sloth, from the Goonies!

Next person who...

ALL CHANT: Sloth! Sloth! Sloth!

-Please!

-ALL CHANT

I've got cancer!

-That came out wrong.

-Minger!

That's not what I meant.

-HUBBUB

-I didn't mean cancer.

-Well, It weren't just me!

-It's always you! You always start it, you cow!

-Everybody, stop it!

-HUBBUB

Morgan! Morgan!

BELL

-I didn't mean to say that.

-I don't doubt that,

but what has been said has been said.

-You should have told me.

-It happened so quickly!

I...

-I mean, it's...

-It's been a terrible shock, I know.

Where are you being treated?

-St Anne's.

-Really?

Who's your oncologist? My mother and sister were treated at St Anne's.

-Dr Marsh.

-Marsh? Is he new?

-I...

-SHE SOBS

-I don't know, I think so.

-It's OK.

SHE SOBS

-You'll need time off.

-No! No time off.

OK... I respect that.

AMANI SOBS

Is there anything we can do?

No.

GATE CREAKS

You're going to be OK? Please tell me you're going to be OK?

It's not as bad as you think.

What are you doing?!

Hey, hey, hey, hey!

SHE SOBS

OK.

OK, I want you all to do something for me.

I want you to close your eyes.

I want you to imagine sitting in a prison cell on Robben Island.

Grey walls, stone floor...

..empty other than an old metal bin in one corner,

a small wooden table , with a metal wash bowl,

a small fabric stool in the other.

And you're sitting on the floor on your straw bed.

Alone. No noise...and scared.

Without hope.

And then you hear a voice -

Nelson Mandela's voice echoing through the cells.

"Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit, from pole to pole,

"I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul."

"In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud."

"Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed."

"Beyond this place of wrath and tears

"Looms but the horror of the shade,

"And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find, me unafraid."

"It matters not how strait the gate,

"How charged with punishments the scroll!

"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."

MUSIC: "Close To My Fire" by Beth Hart

# Oh, oh

# Oh, oh

# Strike a match and set me on fire

# Watch it burn and flames getting higher

# You light me up, sweet old desire

# So won't you come

# Close to my fire?

# Yeah, yeah

# Yeah, yeah

# Yeah, yeah

# Yeah, yeah

# Baby, it's cold when you're gone

# Don't make me wait, wait too long

# Whenever you're near I have all this feeling

# You're making me weep

# I'm a believer

# So, strike a match

# And set me on fire

# Watch it burn and flames getting higher

# You light me up, sweet old desire

# So won't you come

# Close to my fire?

# Yeah, yeah

# Yeah, yeah

# Yeah, yeah

# Yeah, yeah

# Boy, you are my symptom delusion

# You're melting me down My resolution

# I can escape Can't say I'm trying.. #

BELL

HUBBUB I won by a nose, miss.

Quick, quick, quick.

Ready? Go!

ALL: # But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks! #

Have you got a minute? Mrs Marr wants a word.

What about?

I'm not sure.

In her office. I'll watch this lot.

It won't take long.

Right, you lot. Desks back to where they were.

Now!

Where do I start?

-Firstly, Morgan has been suspended.

-Why?

-I thought that

-would be fairly obvious. It's been a long time coming.

-Her exams?

I wouldn't worry too much about that.

How do you think your year has gone so far, Amani?

It's been...OK.

Do you think we've been fair with you?

Yeah.

Do you think you've had a tough time of it?

If you do think you've had a rough ride,

it wasn't by design or intent from our part.

That's just how it is in this school. This is a tough job.

Not a rich borough, which alone, brings its own unique set

of challenges, set of circumstances.

So you have to be strong, you have to be resilient

and you have to be...honest.

And we feel you've equipped yourself very well.

Whatever we've put in front of you,

you have met head on,

coped remarkably well. And you should be commended for that.

However...

your illness has rather changed things.

We feel it would be best if you had less of a challenge

for the time being,

-just until you...

-I'm not taking time off.

-Well, just until... No!

Good.

Good for you.

I feel like getting drunk. Really drunk.

Ever taught with a hangover?

-I'm due a sicky.

-You can't tomorrow.

-It was a joke. Remember jokes?

-Oh, touche!

Why not tomorrow?

-Come on.

-Hugh?

-I thought you knew.

-Knew what?

The collection.

From the kids and staff.

They're presenting you with a cheque tomorrow.

They can't.

-They really can't.

-Why?

I was going to tell you.

I really was!

DOOR BELL CHIMES

DOG BARKS

-What do you want?

-I'm here to see Morgan.

-Why?

-I want to talk to her.

-Why?

-To see if she'll come back to school.

-She can't, can she?

Is she in?

She wants to see if you'll go back.

-Go inside, Dad.

-Don't give in to her.

Just go inside!

It's not over.

-I want you to come back to school.

-They won't let me.

If I can make it happen, if I could get you back, would you?

Is that a "yes"?

-Morgan?

-Yeah.

This...this is just a clash of personalities, you and me.

-We're so alike.

-Yeah, right.

Determined not to listen to anyone else - single-minded.

-I've got to go!

-Promise me one thing.

-What?

If you come back, when you sit your exams, don't just turn up.

Please try your best. It doesn't matter if you get Es or Fs -

and you won't, because you're a bright girl.

-It wouldn't matter, anyway, as long as you tried your best, yeah?

-Yeah.

-Look, me dad'll kick off if I don't get back in.

-OK.

-And I'm sorry.

-What are YOU sorry for?!

So if we could all use the side exit

while the workmen are there, it will be much safer.

Is everybody OK with that?

-ALL: Yes, Miss Marr.

-Good.

Now, as you all know,

we've had a little collection over the past few days.

We've had to keep it a little bit of a secret,

but we all agree it's for a very worthy cause.

Now the person in question knows nothing about this,

so without further ado, I'd like to present her

with what we've collected so far. Could Miss Sarin

please come and join me?

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

We all think you're incredibly brave

and we'd like to present you with this cheque for £800,

collected by the pupils and the staff.

APPLAUSE

CHEERING

It's for the cancer ward, or cancer charity, of your choice.

They do a wonderful job supporting people with your condition.

Very worthy.

Would you like to say something?

Erm...

This cheque is a wonderful...

Speak up.

Sorry.

I said, this cheque is a wonderful gesture.

Incredible, giving this much.

But I can't accept it.

-I can't accept it, because...

-Are you OK?

I can't, because I don't have cancer.

I don't have cancer, I have alopecia.

I lied.

Do you want to do this in my office?

Alopecia brings ridicule and torment...

..but cancer... Cancer brings sympathy.

And I'm sorry.

I'm so, so sorry for what I've done!

For what I've said.

I'm so sorry!

'The words just came out in the heat of the moment.

'They just came out.

'Like toothpaste from a tube, once it's out there,

'you can't put it back in.

'There was no turning back.

'And I'm not standing in front of you now begging for forgiveness

'or anything like that, because...I don't deserve it.

'You gave me your sympathy and respect, because I was in pain.

'And because those two positives outweighed the pain,

'I thought I could live with the consequences.

'But the pain's still here...

'..and my own self respect has gone.

'And that, in itself, creates a bigger, more unbearable pain.

'So, I'm ready for the consequences...

'..and all the possible outcomes...

'to swap this pain for some honesty.'

I don't have cancer. I have alopecia.

I have alopecia.

ALL: # But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks! #

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