That school episode in Adolescence

[JillAndJenTheFlowerpotMen]

Really? Is that what schools are actually like, or did they make it more disrupted and chaotic for dramatic effect? Is what we saw in Episode 2 realistic?

Ds messaged me at the weekend (aged 21 went to state school). He was raving about how it's the best thing he has watched in years and yes, the school scenes were very realistic.

@FairlyTired@Foxesandsquirrelswe use the super high tech plastic envelope with your name on it.
all phones handed in for the day.

My DD’s state school is nothing like this but is in a leafy suburb and very middle class with a supportive parent body. We are very fortunate.

My son goes to a regular secondary in a deprived town with a long term reputation of being a difficult town.

His school is nothing like that. The children would never get away with any of that shouting, rudeness, backchat. The school have a really strict behaviour policy and the kids go through a pushing boundaries stage in year 8/9, but on the whole the school is sound. The children respect the school and the teachers, the ones that don't are swiftly dealt with.

When I was at the same school in the 80's however, it was like the one in Adolescence - possibly worse as there was a lot of glue sniffing, smoking and violence added to the mix back then.

I haven't watched it yet, so can't say directly. However, the things I have heard remind me of a visit I paid to a secondary school a few years ago. One of the sessions I sat in on was a German lesson. The pupils paid no attention to the teacher at all. They were talking to each other, throwing paper aeroplanes, making Nazi salutes and all sorts. The teacher concerned had clearly given up trying to control this class. She delivered her lesson as if nothing was happening, but I doubt any of the pupils heard a single word.

My son in year 8 studies German and he said that a few pupils in his class said they couldn't speak a single word of German 😬

@prh47bridge You gave me advice on his secondary school appeal - we lost, but quite glad we did now as my son is loving German and they don't teach it at the school we were appealing for. His current school also let him flexischool, so he spends one day a week at home, 4 in school. It is really helping him cope with secondary.

@SuperSue77 Glad to hear it's worked out for you and your son.

I was in a large comprehensive school in the 80s and pre O levels it was un streamed and at least as bad minus the effects of phones and social media. Regular bullying and fighting and some kids sniffing glue in the back of lessons. All us swotty kids just kept our heads down and tried to avoid being picked on. I hated it.

Dd is in y13 and says it’s the most realistic portrayal of secondary school that she has seen on Tv