Bafta TV awards nominations: Dewsbury high school headteacher praises students and staff after Educating Yorkshire nominated for prestigious prize
The headteacher of a Dewsbury high school which took centre stage on the hit Channel 4 TV show Educating Yorkshire last year has praised students and staff after the programme was nominated for a Bafta.
The eight-part documentary, which followed the highs and lows of school-life at Thornhill Community Academy, returned to our screens for a second series last autumn.
It aired 12 years on from the end of the original series, which was also filmed at the Valley Drive school, and addressed the modern day challenges faced by both teachers and pupils, covering topics such as the use of AI, anxiety and exam stress, the struggles resulting from COVID-19, and the management of disruptive behaviour.
The popular show has now been nominated for best Factual Series at this year’s British Academy Film Awards.
Headteacher Matthew Burton told the Reporter Series: “I was really pleased to hear about the nomination for the BAFTA for best Factual Series for Educating Yorkshire. It’s testament to the brilliant work of our students and staff, the support of our community, and the important work that Twofour Productions and Channel 4 do in showing the wonderful impact education and schools can have.
“It is great to know that the series is so well respected and it’s an honour to be in the company of such brilliant shows.
“The greatest privilege, though, is in doing the job we are so fortunate to do. And whether the series wins on May 10, or not, we will stick to our values – ‘be nice, work hard’ - to make sure our students get the very best start in life.”
Educating Yorkshire will be up against fellow Channel 4 show See No Evil, ITV1’s The Undercover Police Scandal: Love and Lies Exposed, and Bibaa & Nicole: Murder in the Park (Sky Documentaries).
The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 10, at the Southbank Centre in London.