The Heartbreaking Reality of Teen Stress: Educating Yorkshire Episode 3 | Up Close

Added: 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]Come on people, get moving, please. Make the place look untidy.

[00:00:04]Especially you.

[00:00:05]Your school days. Why are you late?

[00:00:08]Forgot me. Well, that's not good enough.

[00:00:10]Love them. All my life, like, I've not been offered stuff like this or anything special. So, if you can find it in your heart to vote for me, then Yeah, I'm actually No, I'm actually going to cry.

[00:00:21]Or loathe them. Sir, I don't have all the numbers at bottom there. These ones here? Yeah. Well, they're letters, not numbers. Same thing.

[00:00:29]You never forget them.

[00:00:31]>> Oh, me. Wait till I get that ginger little bastard all this.

[00:00:35]>> [music] >> At this school in Yorkshire, things are changing.

[00:00:39]As we know, people, >> [music] >> northerners were proper rate clever out with Jared.

[00:00:43]There's a new head teacher.

[00:00:45]I'm scared of you, sir. Good. You can keep it that way. With a new plan.

[00:00:50]I came [music] to this school knowing exactly what I wanted to achieve. Yes, improve exam results. Yes, make behavior better. You're cheeky [ __ ] But the most important thing for me is that alongside everything else that we give them, they walk out of here as decent human beings who are ready for the world. And if that doesn't happen, we have failed them. Stop crying, [music] you mangy booger.

[00:01:11]>> [laughter] >> But when you're dealing with teenagers, life's [music] never straightforward.

[00:01:18]Did you stamp on his head?

[00:01:20]I don't know. I might have done. Right.

[00:01:22]Thank you. We filmed [music] over a year to find out what life is really like in one of our secondary schools. There comes a tipping point [music] and then I have to ask him to leave. For good?

[00:01:33]For the teachers Good. Let's have a massive year 74. and the kids.

[00:01:39]If he doesn't apologize, he's going to [music] spend the rest of his natural life in detention.

[00:01:44]At the very start of adult life. You like my eyebrows?

[00:01:48]She had done my eyebrows on.

[00:01:50]>> [music] >> This week, the lively lads.

[00:01:58]>> [music] >> Robbie Joe was often in trouble in primary school.

[00:02:02]Now, in year seven, he still [music] can't keep quiet. How many people are in this classroom? Right, have a look at >> faces in >> RJ, I've asked you three times now to shut up.

[00:02:12]>> [music] >> THAT WAS ALMOST PERFECT, like me.

[00:02:18]In year 10, Tom has spent four years pushing everyone to the limit. You've got to work at it. You're a right royal [music] pain in the ass.

[00:02:26]Yeah. Every year group has kids who aren't naturally wired for school.

[00:02:34]But when you've tried everything, how do you keep these boys in school and on track?

[00:02:39]He's causing us too many problems.

[00:02:42]And he's getting worse. And he's getting worse, and I'm just mindful of the fact that something might kick off.

[00:02:59]Not in your grades?

[00:03:01]Go. Go.

[00:03:02]Right, all four of you get your planners [music] out now. Right from the beginning of year seven, [snorts] when they first come through the door, um we are constantly on the lookout for those students that we think [music] may, over the course of the next few years, cause us more problems than others.

[00:03:18]Why have you not done your homework?

[00:03:20]I forgot to. Right, you write it in your planner, and you do your homework.

[00:03:25]Right, who else has been in here?

[00:03:28]What's your name? Robbie, and I forgot my French shirt. Right, that's what I mean.

[00:03:33]And you were in here the other day, weren't you?

[00:03:35]How often would you say that you got into trouble in primary school?

[00:03:40]Four days a week.

[00:03:42]Four out of five days a week.

[00:03:46]Say 80% of the time.

[00:03:54]Robbie Joe.

[00:03:55]As Robbie Joe's form teacher, Miss Youren is responsible for getting his behavior under control.

[00:04:01]>> [singing] >> Robbie Joe.

[00:04:04]What did we do yesterday?

[00:04:06]>> [music] >> No, no, no. That were really half-hearted. Zip.

[00:04:12]Perfect. I will tell [music] you when you can zip it.

[00:04:16]Miss Youren is particularly concerned about the number of negative comments [music] he's getting from his teachers.

[00:04:21]It's never anything major with him, but he never has any quiet days. He's constantly at people all the time.

[00:04:27]>> Right, okay. Pen, pencil.

[00:04:28]He has the [music] potential to slip back to that slope that he was in in junior school. And I think [music] once we've lost him, we're going to struggle to get him back. Oh, miss, I think I left my ruler in other French or science.

[00:04:40]>> [music] >> Right, who's got a clean slate so far this week?

[00:04:47]I had.

[00:04:48]I had five last week.

[00:04:50]Right, when you came to me in September, what did you say?

[00:04:54]I'll be good.

[00:04:56]Why did you say you needed to be good?

[00:04:58]Get a fresh start. To get a fresh start because I were a bad starter in junior school.

[00:05:03]Yeah.

[00:05:04]And you came back September, you were perfect. And I was like this proud.

[00:05:10]Now, you tell me that now you're behaving the same as you were in September. I'm not.

[00:05:16]Why not?

[00:05:19]I don't know.

[00:05:20]It does worry me slightly that if we don't manage to calm him down in time, that we'll get to a point where he's constantly getting excluded and thrown out and and there is a possibility when they get to year 10 and they remain carry on being that naughty, after so many exclusions, they they are permanently expelled. They're gone. Everyone Robbie used to call me Gobby Robbie. I wonder why.

[00:05:41]I wonder They called me that for years.

[00:05:44]Did you know, yeah? Robbie Joe is Tom Foster 4 years ago?

[00:05:51]Gosh.

[00:05:52]SHUT UP, TOM.

[00:05:55]Should we do a beatboxing duo? Yeah.

[00:05:57]Do some noises.

[00:06:00]You're [laughter] like a CAN'T DO IT.

[00:06:03]AND THEN YOU DROP YOUR BEAT LIKE I TOUCH YOUR JUICY FAT BALLS.

[00:06:12]One kiss.

[00:06:14]That one meal said that.

[00:06:16]>> [music] >> I mean, already when Tom arrived in year 7, he'd been identified as a student that could cause us some [music] significant problems.

[00:06:25]>> Do it like a like you're a queen. Are you ready? He's a cheeky chappie, really. You know, he's got plenty of personality about him. But, he's created [music] hassle. He's had ding-dongs.

[00:06:32]He's had stand-up arguments with some members of staff.

[00:06:35]I think a lot of the staff up there have felt undermined >> [music] >> by his challenging behavior in class.

[00:06:42]Tom, you haven't settled. I have.

[00:06:44]No, you haven't. And I'm not letting you away with it now.

[00:06:46]>> rather me sit there and do no work than sit No, I want you >> better talking and No, this isn't conditional, Tom. Lots [music] and lots of incidents and comments and detentions and isolations and the odd exclusion.

[00:06:58]Get on with your work quietly. If you can't manage that, then you know what's going to happen.

[00:07:03]Come on. He may be a student that is going to be difficult to get through to the end of year 11 and his GCSEs.

[00:07:14]Tom, give them back.

[00:07:15]Why can't I see them?

[00:07:17]Tom, give them back.

[00:07:19]What is it about you that means you're always getting into trouble?

[00:07:23]I don't know. I where I am, yeah, right happy.

[00:07:27]Bouncy.

[00:07:28]And it I don't know, makes me right hyper.

[00:07:31]And my hyper makes me not care. So, I always just kick off.

[00:07:36]You started practicing the F, Z, and C rule. I want to change it and I want to good and learn.

[00:07:43]But I just I can't help it.

[00:07:47]It just happens.

[00:07:48]Section B.

[00:07:51]Tom, take your stuff and go sit in Miss Finney's room, please. Why? Because I said so.

[00:07:56]But I'm doing my work. Take your stuff and go in Miss Finney's room, please.

[00:08:03]You don't care.

[00:08:05]I suppose the generic thing that works with boys is the idea of a threat.

[00:08:10]Uh and we can talk about a year seven in their first three or four weeks, the threat of getting mum in.

[00:08:15]>> [music] >> You know, sends themselves scuttling off to the toilet sometimes and and and shrieking.

[00:08:21]Um >> [music] >> and then you progress through school and they the threats become slightly more serious and then I suppose culminates in the ultimate threat, which is listen carry on like this, uh the threat is that you probably won't be at this school anymore.

[00:08:35]Go on, then. The school have tried everything from detentions to temporary exclusions to tame Tom's behavior.

[00:08:41]>> [music] >> Nothing has worked.

[00:08:43]Now some staff are suggesting that he be transferred to a pupil referral unit.

[00:08:48]Got to agree, you're a right royal pain in the ass sometimes.

[00:08:51]Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:08:55]And we stand by you, don't we?

[00:08:56]We don't just go off a level and I say that's it, Tom's on his way.

[00:08:59]Cuz we could have.

[00:09:02]Right? I still like I might still like could easily get sent to the PRU.

[00:09:08]Well, it's it's about you, isn't it?

[00:09:11]There's only one person that'll send you to a PRU and that's you.

[00:09:14]I've I'm behaved now, though. Sometimes.

[00:09:17]No, all time. No, sometimes.

[00:09:19]Sometimes you're a right royal pain in the ass. I know. Right.

[00:09:24]And you do cause three or four of my staff a real headache.

[00:09:29]I know Mr. Hussain's one. Yes. And he don't deserve it.

[00:09:33]I know you don't get on with him.

[00:09:35]I know you don't get on with him.

[00:09:36]There'll be lots of people you go through life and you'll not get on with.

[00:09:40]And the feeling might be mutual.

[00:09:42]When I don't get on with somebody, I actually make extra special efforts to try and get on with them.

[00:09:47]And then if it still breaks down, I know it's not my fault.

[00:09:50]I see.

[00:09:52]Up here for thinking, down there for dancing.

[00:09:56]>> [laughter] >> Exactly.

[00:09:58]>> [snorts] >> 5 to 10% of [music] our kids take up 90% of staff time, you know. It's a bit like the distribution of wealth, isn't it?

[00:10:05]Um But that's how it is, [music] how it always will be. Sometimes it just takes supreme efforts on the part of a number of individuals across the school.

[00:10:14]Tom, where are you off? There.

[00:10:16]>> Yeah. It's some really focused questions on the background to Romeo and Juliet and I've tried [music] >> One of the few classes that Tom avoids being thrown out of is English with Mrs. Sinclair, where his grades are often good.

[00:10:29]Can I just make you aware, gents? If you can't be quiet and be mature, then I will shift you apart.

[00:10:34]Miss, can we Can we use um dog and bone for ear phone? No, I said no. Oh, miss.

[00:10:42]I know exactly what he's like. I know what he's like when he walks through the door. I know how to deal with him if he's in a certain mood.

[00:10:50]He's very articulate. Very, very articulate. Sometimes he just uses his vocabulary in a different fashion. I'm going to get bum raped by an elephant.

[00:10:59]I'm the devil. I love metal. Bum ba da da da bum da da da da bum da da da da bum da da da da Take this with it.

[00:11:07][ __ ] tasty [ __ ] Thomas.

[00:11:13]I'm the devil. I can do what >> swear.

[00:11:16]I probably do let a few things go and I think a lot of staff might look at it and think well, you should not just been a bit soft on him. I would have kicked him out for that. But if he's in my room and he's working, then surely that's a better thing than him standing in the corridor.

[00:11:31]What?

[00:11:32]It's a bit annoying, isn't it?

[00:11:36]Right. Right. Right.

[00:11:38]Sometimes I have to be strict with him and firm, but because I'm not always shouting at him, having a go at him, when I am firm, he knows straight away that I'm I'm not joking. I need him to do it.

[00:11:51]I want you to find some information about Robbie that you can write down, please.

[00:11:55]She's done probably about 5 minutes' worth of it. It's not enough. She needs to do more. Okay? Read that and write it down. I want to see the pen in your hand and doing it.

[00:12:02]So, everyone else all right? Neglected I've neglected a lot of you because I've had to sort Foster out.

[00:12:09]What are you doing, Thomas?

[00:12:11]Thomas, you should be reading it now and writing it down. I'm starting to lose my patience.

[00:12:14]>> I'm going.

[00:12:16]Okay now.

[00:12:17]Hurry up, please. Books, come on, guys.

[00:12:19]Hurry up.

[00:12:24]RJ >> [music] >> Every year has a Robbie Joe equivalent.

[00:12:28]Last year, unfortunately, my Robbie Joe equivalent um >> [music] >> didn't didn't make it in terms of being in mainstream school, and he's now in a pupil referral unit. [music] We're not miracle workers. We can't help everybody, but we won't give up.

[00:12:42]RJ Shut it.

[00:12:45]Sponsored silence, I think, this year.

[00:12:48]I once did that in junior school.

[00:12:50]A sponsored silence. I only earned 10 p.

[00:12:54]>> [music] >> Come on, fellas. Let's go.

[00:13:05]Hey, come on. Up to form now, please.

[00:13:07]It's 8:45, and Robbie Joe [music] is running late for school.

[00:13:14]What form you in?

[00:13:18]I'm not up to form now, miss, cuz Liam's got to do these stairs.

[00:13:24]You know it's not happening. sorry.

[00:13:26]Form time with Miss You're in started 5 minutes ago.

[00:13:32]So I'm going to wear this.

[00:13:37]That way.

[00:13:39]That's fine.

[00:13:41]Put your bag down.

[00:13:43]He's getting comment after comment.

[00:13:46]And I will I will put the blame on myself if I can't get him through cuz I feel like I failed him. If If he don't make it next year, I will be questioning if I did everything I could.

[00:13:56]Why are you late?

[00:14:02]Why are you late? I don't know, miss.

[00:14:04]You were seen walking to school on time this morning. You have no reason at all to be late.

[00:14:11]>> I helped him upstairs. Rubbish. Rubbish.

[00:14:14]It's not your responsibility to help Leon around.

[00:14:18]It's not good, is it?

[00:14:20]Do you understand you could have been here on time? I don't know, miss. I know we set off at the same time.

[00:14:28]Well, look. Come here. Don't cry. Come on. Off the wall. No. Off the wall.

[00:14:33]Stand up.

[00:14:33]>> really bad, though. So why are you late?

[00:14:37]Now I know your best mate's on crutches and you want to help him, but if that's making you late in I don't think you want to get into trouble, do you?

[00:14:46]No. And if you did, you wouldn't be so upset now.

[00:14:50]Yeah?

[00:14:51]Come and shake this off. Right?

[00:14:54]That's it now. There's no more. It needs to stop. Yeah? You need to be in on time.

[00:15:04]>> [music] [music] >> You're now fired.

[00:15:17]>> [music] >> I feel bad.

[00:15:21]That was the signing in.

[00:15:22]All right.

[00:15:29]All right, Tom.

[00:15:31]What about your lads?

[00:15:33]I don't know.

[00:15:35]I'm good.

[00:15:37]What?

[00:15:39]What?

[00:15:42]>> All right, what? I don't want to ask this, but what's happened is I've been told His stepbrother died last night.

[00:15:50]But I class him as my real brother.

[00:15:55]You want to cry, Chris?

[00:15:58]You want to cry?

[00:16:00]You want to cry? You want to cry?

[00:16:02]Grief hits people in very different ways. And that we've had a couple of instances [music] over the past 18 months where kids have been seriously grieving and crying out for support. We've been able to make referrals and we've got to get other professionals [music] in.

[00:16:15]And every kid's different.

[00:16:17]Some kids it goes on for months and months and months.

[00:16:20]Some kids are not over it, but some kids [music] sort of don't let it affect them after a couple of days.

[00:16:28]You know what I mean?

[00:16:28]>> What? [ __ ] I've cried enough.

[00:16:31]He was in pieces.

[00:16:32]>> [music] >> He was really upset.

[00:16:35]I've never seen anyone that upset before. And it upset me to see him like that.

[00:16:42]He's a reasonably intelligent lad, you know. He's reasonably emotionally intelligent. He can be a prat when he wants to be and he can be offensive and he gets into scrapes and he's often in isolation and he doesn't like authority, you know, all the bad things that you might say about kids.

[00:16:56]But at heart, again, you know, he's a 14, 15-year-old lad.

[00:17:00]He'll be struggling inside. And we have to make sure that we give him the best possible support. Morning, you all right?

[00:17:10]Where are you going?

[00:17:12]Do you need your phone out, please?

[00:17:16]Right, uh back on the floor, Jim.

[00:17:18]You know when I was at school you weren't allowed to whistle or get told off for whistling.

[00:17:24]>> [laughter] >> So, turn it on for you.

[00:17:28]If you need a minute outside you take it, all right.

[00:17:31]Do you want to go away?

[00:17:36]Jay, do you want to come and sit with him?

[00:17:39]Jay's going to come and sit next to you.

[00:17:44]Does anyone know what they're doing?

[00:17:46]You got a pen, Thomas?

[00:17:47]Would you like to borrow one?

[00:17:50]It was really difficult to see someone who was falling apart a little bit in front of me.

[00:17:54]He kind of didn't go down the route of being in my lesson he didn't go down the route of being an idiot and misbehaving.

[00:18:00]And I think I'd rather him have done that than have seen him the way that he was.

[00:18:05]It was quite difficult to watch. Tom?

[00:18:08]Can we have a quick word outside?

[00:18:10]Only a quick one I promise.

[00:18:16]Are you all right? Yeah. Are you sure?

[00:18:18]Mhm. Do you need anything?

[00:18:20]No.

[00:18:21]You know that if you need to talk I'm always here, you know that don't you? Yeah. Yeah.

[00:18:26]You still need to do the work obviously.

[00:18:28]But I understand that you're going through [snorts] a a really tough time at the moment, so can you take two minutes outside? You don't even have to tell me.

[00:18:35]Crawl under the table and come outside.

[00:18:37]Yeah? Do you want two minutes? No. Sure?

[00:18:40]Promise? Yeah. Good lad. In you go.

[00:18:45]Crack on then.

[00:18:46]I love that saying. I love [music] saying that.

[00:18:49]You want sweet out?

[00:18:55]Thinking about it.

[00:18:57]It's hard. [music] It's like it's just losing a brother is like worse than losing anything to [music] be honest.

[00:19:10]Giggity-giggity-giggity-goo.

[00:19:12]It's period five and Mr. Farooq has thrown Robbie-Joe out of science. I've not given you your second comment, okay?

[00:19:19]I'm going to take it off because there was quite a few people talking, but the thing is everyone else is managing to do a lot of work, whereas you're managed to get two points down or three points down. Everyone else has got seven, so I'm going to do you another favor. In the past few weeks, it's become clear that Robbie-Joe's behavior is now having a serious effect on his schoolwork. What do you say? I can say I'm sorry. Say you're sorry.

[00:19:41]You know, he could possibly be one of those C grades or higher candidates, but if he don't buck his ideas up soon, I'm going to now. he's in trouble. You've all got one more minute see to try your best.

[00:19:55]And class said, "Stop saying giggity-goo." And so he went out of door, turned around, popped his head back in like, "Giggity-goo."

[00:20:01]Fruit down on the floor, he did it deliberately. No order. And class said, "Are you listening to me?"

[00:20:06]And then he shook it off. Um I'm going to give him a a challenge versus a week for a whole week.

[00:20:13]And that will be a weekly comment and if he can't, then we'll get mom in.

[00:20:20]Do you ever feel like you've let Miss Yuran down a bit?

[00:20:23]No.

[00:20:25]Sometimes.

[00:20:28]Quite a bit actually.

[00:20:32]>> [music] >> I am livid.

[00:20:41]>> [music] >> And a livid Mr. Mitchell is not a good Mr. Mitchell. So go home and don't come back until we tell you.

[00:20:46]>> [music] >> Yeah, I don't have all them numbers at the bottom though.

[00:20:49]What? I don't have all them numbers at the bottom. These ones here? Yeah. Well, they're letters, not numbers.

[00:20:55]Same here.

[00:20:59]It's mid-afternoon and Tom has been out of lessons for most of the day.

[00:21:04]The lunchtime supervisor has just spotted him. Come on, you should be in lesson.

[00:21:08][ __ ] lesson.

[00:21:11]I've got Miss Calvert and Miss Kennedy looking for you.

[00:21:16]You want to come and talk to Miss Kennedy?

[00:21:18]Mhm?

[00:21:19]No.

[00:21:21]They want to talk.

[00:21:23]It's not something I like talking about.

[00:21:25]That's fine, but let's go in. It's cold.

[00:21:27]It's not cold.

[00:21:28]>> Please.

[00:21:29]Well, I'm soft.

[00:21:33]So am I.

[00:21:35]No, you're not.

[00:21:36]Yeah, but I've been crying my eyes out.

[00:21:38]Just cuz you cried don't make don't make you soft.

[00:21:41]It just makes you a human being.

[00:21:45]It's a really unusual position for us to be in. Most students stay off school when the when there's been a bereavement in the family. So, we find ourselves in a difficult place.

[00:22:00]Thomas is having a really bad time. He's having a bad time and he's messing around. He is having a bad time. And I feel you know We don't know what's [music] going on in these students' lives.

[00:22:09]And the fact that some of them actually get to school, let alone achieve when they get here, can be a miracle.

[00:22:15]>> [music] >> And that's why the consistency at school is so so important.

[00:22:22]Tom.

[00:22:24]You know, I'd like to [music] be able to think that between us we can get him back in line a little bit and support him.

[00:22:33]Come in. Sit [music] down.

[00:22:39]>> [snorts] >> Things not good? No.

[00:22:42]Has something happened up there today, Thomas?

[00:22:44]>> Up where? In maths.

[00:22:46]You just So, there's not been an incident. You just walked out. I didn't go. You haven't been. Right, okay.

[00:22:54]Where have you been?

[00:22:55]Walking around. Okay.

[00:23:01]Have you spoken to anybody about that?

[00:23:03]My dad does about it. Okay.

[00:23:06]You're very close with them.

[00:23:11]When you do lose somebody that you love and you think a lot about it, it really hurts.

[00:23:17]You know, and that can run deep and it can run deep for an awfully long time.

[00:23:21]The one thing you need to know, Thomas, is there is always somewhere safe in school for you to come.

[00:23:28]There is always somewhere you will not be turned away.

[00:23:32]So, rather than wandering about, you can come here and you're safe and we know where [snorts] you are as well.

[00:23:39]All right.

[00:23:41]Which lesson are you meant to be in?

[00:23:42]Math. With? The the uh that old woman.

[00:23:50]I'm just going to say let Mr. Jenkinson know that you're here. All right. Yeah.

[00:23:55]Hello. I just wanted to let you know Tom's in my office um because he's not in his math lesson, but I've got him here. So, he is safe.

[00:24:05]Okay, thank you. Bye.

[00:24:06]>> So, what happened there?

[00:24:09]Choked in his sleep.

[00:24:10]>> [clears throat] >> What is sick? Being sick.

[00:24:14]Oh my god, that must have been such a shock for everybody.

[00:24:18]It just like a freak accident. Not been drinking at all.

[00:24:22]>> I think he was a bit pissed. Yeah.

[00:24:24]>> [snorts] >> Oh dearie me, Thomas, that's awful. What can we do in school to help?

[00:24:31]No.

[00:24:33]Well, I'd rather like just be on my own most of time.

[00:24:37]The one thing that I don't want though is you wandering about cuz someone might pick you up and have a bit of a dig.

[00:24:42]>> you won't know about it and then that's going to make you feel ever so much worse.

[00:24:47]And that's what they go at me and I know, but that don't Well, it won't help. So, how do you feel now going up to your lesson? It's English.

[00:24:58]Right, come on, Thomas. I'll come up with you.

[00:25:00]Have a go. Just have a try.

[00:25:03]Wait, I feel like I forgot something.

[00:25:05]Come on. It's good.

[00:25:06]>> Thomas.

[00:25:08]Come on, Thomas. You know where we are if you need us. Are you on your lunch?

[00:25:11]No, she's not on her lunch. She's just eats all the time.

[00:25:14]>> [music] >> I don't really think I know how he'll react. I would reckon in 2 or 3 weeks' time it it'll settle down in his head. He'll get back into routines. He'll sort [music] of understand that it it's an episode that's finished in his life.

[00:25:30]Um and hopefully things will be [music] okay.

[00:25:33]But I don't know.

[00:25:38]>> [music] >> Did you just wink at me?

[00:25:49]>> [music] >> In a colleague type way.

[00:25:55]Not as [music] in uh darling type way.

[00:26:01]You're Tom. [music] You know they're not. That wouldn't work. Throwing snowballs at cars. You know what? Get away from coppers.

[00:26:09]Go on.

[00:26:10]You okay?

[00:26:13]Told you you [music] you come and tell us we'll deal with it.

[00:26:16]Conor?

[00:26:17]Sit down, fella.

[00:26:24]I got to get asked going to school with you.

[00:26:27][ __ ] >> [music] >> It's 2 days since the death of Tom's [music] stepbrother.

[00:26:35]His behavior is deteriorating and the school is struggling to contain him.

[00:26:39]>> of my room.

[00:26:41]It's been a labor-intensive process. Tom seems to be wanting to hit things.

[00:26:47]Uh screaming and shouting or jumping out of his chair.

[00:26:49]You know, some of the problems that he's presented have become a little bit more threatening. That one.

[00:26:53]DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE YOU KNOW ME.

[00:26:56]Got to be careful that that doesn't spill over then into other people saying, "I'm going to kick off." You don't know me.

[00:27:01]GIVE ME ANOTHER NAME.

[00:27:04]NO?

[00:27:05]YOU DON'T?

[00:27:08]He doesn't really know how to deal with the situation, which is understandable.

[00:27:11]How do you deal with the situation that he's going through as an adult?

[00:27:14]This guy don't listen.

[00:27:17]Three of them?

[00:27:19]Oh, yeah, this time I go on is uh off his lesson and do something with it.

[00:27:25]I didn't have a problem. She said uh She said if you can't concentrate then I'd rather you not be in my lesson.

[00:27:30]So, I just I just said I was >> answer, is it? Why couldn't you concentrate? Cuz all I can think about is You know. All right, go back up, get the work from that lesson, and come and sit in my office and do it. Complaints have also been piling up about Tom being rude to teachers. I worry for Tom, really, I think. Um because he doesn't internalize a lot of things. He doesn't discuss them.

[00:27:52]Um He kind of lashes out if he's if he's having problems.

[00:27:58]You're struggling a bit? Mhm. Yeah?

[00:28:01]And Mrs. Chadwick said she got rough end of the tongue today. Is that right? Mhm. What's she done to you?

[00:28:07]No. You're just feeling it?

[00:28:11]You're not coping.

[00:28:15]I'm not going to pop out your tongue. I know what you're going through.

[00:28:17]All right.

[00:28:20]If you're not coping, we need to help you cope, don't we?

[00:28:23]I don't want to go on there. No, I don't want to send you home either cuz to be honest, it's just more It's just more for My mom. Your mom to deal with, isn't it?

[00:28:31]She needs you there, doesn't she?

[00:28:33]If I get you some work to be doing and I put you in a nice secluded place, you just get on with some work. Is that better? Cuz I'm just worried about sending you back to class. You're feeling the way that you're feeling, someone's going to kick off, and I don't I don't to happen, to be honest, at the moment.

[00:28:48]You'll deal with it in your own way, and it will take time. Yeah?

[00:28:53]>> [snorts] >> If you ever do need to talk, you need to find somebody to talk to.

[00:28:58]Well, I know you would listen to me, but >> Of course I'd listen to you. I'd listen to you all day, Tom, if you had things to say and you needed me help. I'd never I'd never think to come see you.

[00:29:05]>> Why not? Quite scared of you, sir. Good.

[00:29:07]Keep it that way. I'm glad.

[00:29:09]What, cuz I can push the button that gets you kicked out of school, you mean?

[00:29:11]Yeah. Right.

[00:29:14]Yeah. Do you think I'd be so heartless as to do that while you're going through what you're going through? No, but >> No. Still Still. If you want to talk to me, Tom, you can talk to me.

[00:29:24]And I've been there as well, so I know what it feels like. Okay?

[00:29:29]So, you're allowed in here for a bit.

[00:29:31]Yeah. And then you've got your lunch.

[00:29:33]And then I'll let you go to your maths and English lessons. Just get on with your work. And if there's a kick-off I'll I'll kick-off.

[00:29:40]>> You'll be You'll be responsible for it.

[00:29:42]Cuz whatever you're going through, you're still responsible for your behavior.

[00:29:45]And this is all a mark of somebody that's becoming more mature as they get older.

[00:29:49]>> [music] >> Yeah.

[00:29:51]I think what's key when dealing with someone like Tom is that sometimes you can see past some of the [music] superficial behavior.

[00:29:57]Um and think, this is not personal.

[00:30:00]Kids are kids. Kids say hurtful things.

[00:30:02]They don't necessarily mean the hurtful thing. That it's their way [music] of venting their spleen.

[00:30:09]Right, algebra and minus. That's mine.

[00:30:11]Plus and a minus. Sir, never do that voice again. I like this voice. I'm going to use it all time.

[00:30:18]The word 99 scratches, 99 scratches.

[00:30:21]>> Scratches. No, what's that? You scratch yourself 99 times and your skin comes off. Why would you want to do that? And it starts to peel.

[00:30:29]Why would you want to take your skin off? Well, off.

[00:30:32]Ooh.

[00:30:33]Not good.

[00:30:34]If you ever lose key, ask me to see it.

[00:30:36]That's mine.

[00:30:37]>> Robbie Joe failed to meet Miss Youren's goal of a week without negative comments.

[00:30:42]She's worried he'll soon be facing detentions, isolations, and even exclusions.

[00:30:47]And I've got to go to Mr. Barraclough again.

[00:30:53]I told him that I did it, but I haven't.

[00:30:57]I'll just talk to my With Robbie Joe's behavior not improving, Ms. Yuran has decided to play her trump card and bring his mom into school. Robbie Joe's living at home with mom, and mom's probably not mostly on her own. She has always got a lot on her plate, you know, she's picking his younger brother up from school, and I think his younger brother seems to be a lot like Robbie Joe as well. So, I don't want to be bringing her into school and adding to the, you know, to the stress of her home life anyway. However, sometimes it's it's what's needed to bring a parent in to show that child that you're serious.

[00:31:30]Right, you can sit on my desk and nobody can.

[00:31:32]Call me.

[00:31:34]I said to you all in there last Thursday that you were to try to not get any comments at all, but you've got one two off Ms. Hackett, and one off Mr. Farooq. You've got them. They're done.

[00:31:46]But, I want to know why you're you're so upset now.

[00:31:48]I've got even more.

[00:31:50]So, you're not upset that I'm going to get your mom in?

[00:31:53]I'm upset because of that, because you don't want to come in. She don't want to come in.

[00:31:58]Why not? She don't want to know. She don't want to know. I very much doubt that, Robbie Joe.

[00:32:04]I think there's so many people in this class and in this school who wishes that they had moms and dads who would ring up and spend hours as your mom does.

[00:32:12]She does want to know, and she does care.

[00:32:15]Just like your teachers care. But, you we can't do it all for you. You have to do it.

[00:32:20]You've got to learn to control your own behavior.

[00:32:25]But, the fact that you're upset, that tells me that you actually do care about what you're behaving, don't you?

[00:32:29]We're going to have to ring your mom.

[00:32:30]We're going to have to get your mom in.

[00:32:31]Don't let it ruin your day. Just put your Best thing you could probably do now is say, "Well, I'll tell you what, if I know my mum's going to be coming in, I'll make sure from now until she comes in, I've not got any comments." Go on then.

[00:32:43]I'll put your note in your planner.

[00:32:45]>> [music] >> What's it like knowing that your mum's going to come into school?

[00:32:49]I Oh, no.

[00:32:56]I feel sorry [music] because I've upset my mum as well as my teachers.

[00:33:04]You told me my mum's going to come in. I told you that. I've been naughty in science.

[00:33:09]>> [music] >> Well done.

[00:33:20]Tom, you're a good lad. This is the way you used to behave, okay?

[00:33:22]Over the next few days, Miss Uren tries everything she can to [music] keep Robbie Joe on track until his mum comes in. You're listening to me.

[00:33:30]You can get a clean slate and do this week. I'll sort you out with some chocolate, right?

[00:33:35]Two more. What is it? What is it going to be?

[00:33:39]Tuesday, how many you going to get?

[00:33:40]None.

[00:33:41]Thursday, how many you going to get?

[00:33:43]None.

[00:33:45]I think that was a [music] bit difficult. Stop ruining me ball. See you later. See you.

[00:33:54]Maybe we [music] should send you away with sellotape over your mouth to your lessons.

[00:33:58]My mum My dad once tried [music] that.

[00:34:01]And how did it go? Bad.

[00:34:05]It's now only 2 days until his stepbrother's funeral and the level of disruption Tom is causing has become a problem. I need a [ __ ] ciggie.

[00:34:14]I wish I could tell you something.

[00:34:15]I've been I got kicked out for eating a Dairy Milk and telling my teacher to [ __ ] off.

[00:34:20]Tom, stop Please go back to maths.

[00:34:25]We were hoping that he'd gradually get things out of his system, that any of the anger that he was presenting would sort of dissipate over time. We put all these support mechanisms in place and we gave him bolt holes and early finish on on a couple of occasions and working in isolation.

[00:34:40]But as the funeral comes closer, it it is aggression is getting on top of him.

[00:34:45]Why are you here? Why are you here?

[00:34:46]Well, I kicked out of maths.

[00:34:49]For eating a dairy milk.

[00:34:51]Old teacher. That old [ __ ] I don't KNOW HER NAME. WOAH!

[00:34:55]That's not nice.

[00:34:59]Can I go outside with No, cuz you're not even supposed to be out at lunchtime. I need to talk to Alex, so Well, no. He's the only person that understands me. Well, we'll get him to come in.

[00:35:10]Please send Alex out to the office, please.

[00:35:14]I'll just go out and see him. No, don't, Thomas.

[00:35:18]We need SLT.

[00:35:20]Where are they? I don't know, but we need somebody.

[00:35:25]>> [music] >> This sounds really awful and I don't mean it [music] to sound like this, but he's sort of using this bereavement >> [music] >> as a bit of a cop-out as well.

[00:35:39]It's conveniently got him out of three detentions so far.

[00:35:43]It's conveniently got him a lot of um time.

[00:35:49]I don't mean to sound harsh, but he's um he's going to struggle over these next couple of days until it's the funeral and then um we'll see from there.

[00:36:04]I'll do what I want. [music] You're not allowed. I'll do what I want.

[00:36:09]You can see him tensing his body [music] up and fists clenched and even when sat in a room with me, you know, Thomas has been at it all dinner, but they don't listen to anything you say.

[00:36:19]And all you're getting off Thomas at the moment is I can do what I want. Don't go down there, I can do what I want. That's all you get off him.

[00:36:24]>> Yeah, party.

[00:36:25]>> Somebody has said something untoward to him. He may well [music] have just flipped. And you know, putting a kid in that situation is not fair to them either.

[00:36:33]He went to the Thorn [music] center then said, "I ate that bag. I'm going to [ __ ] kill her."

[00:36:38]And then Mary said, "You can't talk about members of staff." I said, "I don't know. I'm off anyway. You do nothing for me. I'm off." And stomped [music] off the canteen. I thought I actually saw him. Yeah. Try and get in contact with home. I don't know whether or not somebody will be able to come in.

[00:36:47]Probably not, but he's causing us too many problems.

[00:36:56]Home is difficult situation. Mom has an awful lot on her plate. We [music] didn't want to add to that by not playing our role if you like in nurturing Tom through a difficult period.

[00:37:05]But um the situation has become so difficult. I have the needs of every other child in the school to consider.

[00:37:13]Mr. Jenkinson spoke to you on the phone.

[00:37:15]I believe just briefly. We just got a few concerns over Tom at the minute. Um Some of the behaviors he's portraying around school. And yes, we know the back story. However, he's not running amok exactly, but he's creating a lot of problems just through wandering around, not being in the right place at the right time, not doing or saying the right thing.

[00:37:34]Yeah. Causing a lot of his teachers a bit of stress. I'm concerned that things are getting to such a head now that um something's going to happen this week.

[00:37:42]And I don't I can't I can't take that risk.

[00:37:44]>> Um And much as I'm loath generally to send kids home, I think in the circumstances, given that the funeral's coming up, compassionately is the best way forward.

[00:37:55]I just think it's the best thing all round. [clears throat] We'll provide a lot of work for for the next few days.

[00:38:00]>> Yeah. Um I don't know how you feel about that.

[00:38:04]>> [clears throat] >> Well, I'm not if you're sending him work home, cuz I'm not >> We're sending work.

[00:38:08]>> home and just spending his time on bloody Facebook or whatever.

[00:38:13]Cuz this is just it's not on. It's not.

[00:38:15]>> It's really not, Tom.

[00:38:16]>> And it's sort of the thing that we don't do generally. We try not to do it. Uh I understand it puts you in a situation, but I'm just mindful of the fact that something might kick off and then we might be looking at an exclusion and I don't really want to do that given the current circumstances.

[00:38:29]And then hopefully after next week's out of the way we get you back in and being Tom.

[00:38:36]Yeah?

[00:38:37]Yeah. This is not a punishment by any stretch of the imagination. It's for your well-being. Okay? So it's it's for you. It's it's not It's for us also, but it's mainly for you, Tom.

[00:38:48]All right. It's fine. Right.

[00:38:50]>> Thank you.

[00:38:51]All right, then, Tom.

[00:38:52]>> [music] >> Sending a kid home under an exclusion for 4 or 5 days or whatever.

[00:38:56]>> your support. Doesn't really serve anybody any need apart from [music] giving some breathing space back in school so that the disruption of other people's learning is not occurring and that teachers get a bit of a a break from the constant headache that they get.

[00:39:08]If you need to talk, you know, I'm on phone. All right. There are times [music] when the needs of the school as a whole far outweigh the needs of an individual.

[00:39:18]But part of me thinks [music] that maybe we failed.

[00:39:30]>> [music] >> Robbie me planner. I'm proper proud of you.

[00:39:34]I gave him a right little pep talk last night and said, "Robbie Joe I've been at breakfast club for the last 10 or 20 minutes.

[00:39:40]I can't believe it. Is he a look?

[00:39:44]On time, last day for your clean slate. The threat of his mom coming in seems to have had an effect on Robbie Joe's behavior. He's not had a comment for several days. Been here about 20 minutes, Lydia.

[00:39:59]>> [music] >> Get away!

[00:40:02]With the funeral over, Tom is [music] back at school where he's been given solo tuition to catch up.

[00:40:08]>> So this was this was last November's paper.

[00:40:11]>> Yeah, this is well hard, this. I don't get it.

[00:40:13]>> Right, okay. How can you go about finding the X right? Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, half a mole. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I've got it. Yeah, you got it. See? I'm not as upset, you know, I'm I'm getting back to my normal self, but obviously, I'll always remember him, and like it'll always come back to my head that, you know, I'll never be able to see him again.

[00:40:32]And it'll upset me here and there, but it's not going to affect me all the time.

[00:40:38]Come on then, chicken. Let's get this show on the road. With Robbie-Joe's mom coming into school today, Miss Urine is hoping [music] to show him just how serious things are getting for his future. You never saw it. Nope. No. You were.

[00:40:51]I can tell.

[00:40:52]When you went to the teaching profession, it's not [music] just about teaching them English or teaching them math. It's about teaching them how to become young adults and about how to grow up. Come and sit down, anyway.

[00:41:02]Report time. And we teach them just as many life lessons as they learn at home, and that's part of our profession.

[00:41:08]That's what we do.

[00:41:10]Now, when kids have settled in in year seven, they want to get on. They want to work.

[00:41:15]But, I know that some of the um like really good kids are getting you getting a little bit annoyed with you out there. Yeah. Cuz you're stopping them from working because what do you do quite a lot?

[00:41:26]Talk. Talk, don't you?

[00:41:27]He He talks in his sleep. I can't believe it.

[00:41:30]>> I can't believe it. I go in and see if he's awake. He's fast asleep.

[00:41:35]You need to be on top form because you are going to be going into higher sets.

[00:41:39]You are going to be challenged.

[00:41:41]You need to be on top form because I don't want to put you off, but it is going to get harder. Of course it is.

[00:41:48]It's going to get harder in year eight, nine, 10, 11. Right. So, last week then, one, two, three. No behavior comment.

[00:41:54]No, there's three in the homework.

[00:41:57]Oh, yeah.

[00:41:58]But, then since I rang your mom, you said you weren't going to do it. So, what have you got this week instead?

[00:42:03]No behavior, but >> And how How has that been?

[00:42:07]Easy.

[00:42:09]I I just think what you've done is brought up a really polite young man.

[00:42:13]Oh, if you'll just keep your head down, you'll do all right here.

[00:42:18]We want you to do well because when Miss May that's why she's taking it so seriously because she makes it and she made a promise.

[00:42:24]>> I promise you you could be the new Romeo and Juliet.

[00:42:27]>> I want him to get a good job at least have a go and do make something. And you could do easily.

[00:42:32]>> Could it can it could.

[00:42:35]I didn't I left school and I had baby not long after.

[00:42:38]I just want you to maintain these high standards. And when you are still slipping, it don't matter whether you're in year eight and you've gone past us.

[00:42:47]We'll keep telling [music] you.

[00:42:49]Because we want what your mom wants for you.

[00:42:53]If [music] at by the end of year seven Romeo is not perfect I won't [music] be surprised.

[00:43:01]Um but that isn't where my job stops.

[00:43:04]But every time I pass Romeo in the corridors I will always ask him how he is, always ask him if he's had a good day. And Sarah I will teach him in such small school I will come across him all the way through school. [music] It's only when you've been tired that you've come in grumpy and that's what's causing this behavior.

[00:43:19]>> [music] >> Yeah. She's like my mom she does everything for me.

[00:43:23]Wants to do everything for me.

[00:43:26]She just likes me I don't know why.

[00:43:29]She says she always has done everything she met me.

[00:43:32]>> [music] >> She's best teacher I've had so far.

[00:43:41]Now what you're doing in Romeo and Juliet so far is excellent.

[00:43:44]>> Is it?

[00:43:44]>> Yeah. That's higher than this. So I just think if we can make sure we pull your other controlled assessments up to like at least at least band four. I've been genuinely surprised at the turnaround that Tom's shown since he came back with the speed at which he seems to have turned around and and changed his mindset in insofar as he wants to make sure that he does achieve and he wants to make sure he's putting every effort in and he's he's wanting to establish really positive relationships with with staff and other students.

[00:44:14]So, maybe that actual process, horrific as it was for him, helped him to mature more quickly.

[00:44:20]You've been doing so well.

[00:44:22]I've been so impressed with you.

[00:44:23]>> I've been trying. I'm a changed boy now.

[00:44:26]>> know what's happened. My my brother dying and obviously me misbehaving in school, it's not going to make it.

[00:44:31]>> going to make it back, is it?

[00:44:31]>> Exactly. Yeah. So, I'm just going to behave and do my work. That's what you have to do and it's that it's that and get qualifications.

[00:44:38]>> Exactly, Tom.

[00:44:38]>> So. Exactly. It's making that choice and you you were choosing to kind of be a bit of an idiot. Yeah. And go down that path, but you're choosing to to do the right thing now.

[00:44:48]He just needs to know that someone's on his side and I think that's the most important thing with Tom. He did it. He got himself through that time and he's turned himself around and I was just there, kind of pushing him in the the right direction, I suppose, but it was 90% Tom and maybe 10% me. You'll still be Tom. You're still Tom. You're still loud.

[00:45:08]>> Yeah, but I'm doing my work as well.

[00:45:10]That's the best thing about you is you haven't changed who you are.

[00:45:14]There's going to be moments and there's going to be times where if he goes back into his old ways and he doesn't put that effort in that he needs to, but I'm going to work my socks off to make sure that he does everything that he needs to do with an English to get the grade that he that he needs. Cuz he's still Tom at the end of the day.

[00:45:29]But you know that Juliet is a what?

[00:45:32]>> [music] >> Slow. I don't know.

[00:45:34]I knew you were going to say something like that. She isn't somebody who's experienced because she's 14. She's never left the house. She's 14.

[00:45:41]>> this conversation on Friday. You were there.

[00:45:43]>> She's 14. What's happening? What's her dad trying to What's her dad?

[00:45:48]We are never arrogant enough, I hope, to think that we can rest [music] on our laurels and say we've done that job with that child and therefore they'll be all right. We can take our eye off them and and and try and sort something else out.

[00:46:01]Don't know what I'm supposed to do with you. Do you know what I mean? Because just when I think I've made a breakthrough, then I get a teacher coming and knocking on my door like this Miss Bell, to tell me actually no, you're not doing better. You never know.

[00:46:14]You never know you've got it until the last day when they wave you goodbye to the rest of their life. What am I supposed to do?

[00:46:21]I don't know what I'm supposed to do because your mom said she's staying at home. What do you mean you're not even meeting me there? I'M TRYING TO TALK TO YOU.

[00:46:28]DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YEAH?

[00:46:34]>> [music]