It's a new academic year and budget cuts start to bite at The Castle, the largest and most successful school in south Gloucestershire's Castle School Education Trust. 16-year-old Chloe is struggling to deal with the pressure of her forthcoming GCSEs, walking out of one of her mock exams after suffering an anxiety attack. She wants to be a forensic scientist, but must overcome her fears as the real exams approach. 12-year-old Chelsea, one of the brightest students in her year group, is struggling to settle into her first year of secondary school. When she deliberately sets off a fire alarm and the entire school has to be evacuated, head teacher Angie Browne sees it as a cry for help from a talented child trying to fit in and decides to intervene personally. Angie, newly appointed as interim head, is struggling to maintain the school's high standards whilst overseeing significant budget reductions. Within eighteen months the Trust's cash reserves will be exhausted. Angie must break the news to her colleagues that they face pay cuts of up to £6000.
Cameras follow 15-year-old student Henry, who is in his final year at Marlwood School in South Gloucestershire, and has ADHD. A stand-off over uniform and insulting teachers leads Henry to the Head Teacher's office. With another Ofsted inspection looming, tutor James Pope faces the dilemma of whether he should he allow Henry - and others like him - to remain at Marlwood.
The pressure on Marlwood School increases when Ofsted announces an inspection in two days
This episode follows students with special needs as the future level of funding to support them in a mainstream school is debated.
Bad behaviour is undermining learning in the Castle School Education Trust. Will Roberts introduces a strict behaviour management system
As GCSEs approach, Mangotsfield School targets disadvantaged, underachieving boys. An impending Ofsted inspection will scrutinise progress.
