The first programme follows the fresh-faced cadets as they struggle with the relentless routines of the first term. Strict discipline and severe physical demands will prove too much for some, as Britain's future military elite acclimatises to a different world.
Risking their lives and having to kill the enemy has always been an inescapable reality for any soldier - but since the war in Afghanistan it's also almost inevitable for every officer to have to face this. In the past notions of patriotism and of a 'just war' provided a justification for the taking (and losing) of life. In a new era, how do the cadets face this fundamental challenge as Sandhurst presents the brutal realities of war to a new generation of officers - warts and all.
The final episode sees tensions mount amongst the officer cadets. With the end in sight but the prospect of being 'back termed' ever present, the stakes go up each week. The academy's image as a bastion of old school tie and privilege comes under the spotlight as the unrelenting pace tests each individual's abilities - physical, mental and emotional - against the standards of becoming a British officer in the Regiments and Corps they have applied to join. For some, keeping up proves impossible - but for others the Sandhurst dream is about to become a reality.
