Dewsbury school to star in TV series

The new eight-part series will explore what really happens behind the school gates at Thornhill Community Academy.

Focussing on both the GCSE students and staff who teach them, the series will follow their day-to-day lives at school as they face the most important year in their education.

Filming began last Monday at the school in Valley Drive. Crews have put 64 fixed cameras throughout the site, covering everywhere from the corridors to the canteen, the headteacher’s office to the playground.

Headteacher Jonny Mitchell said: “This is an opportunity to show how a normal school nurtures youngsters, from a variety of backgrounds, providing them with opportunities to flourish academically and socially.

“I am confident Thornhill will represent the very best of Yorkshire and that the series will give a much-needed boost to the town and wider community as a whole.”

Twofour’s head of documentaries and series executive producer David Clews said: “We looked into filming in a number of schools which represented a different part of Britain to Essex. Thornhill Community Academy was chosen because of its fantastic staff and students and we feel extremely privileged to have access to film them.”

It is due to air on Channel 4 in Autumn 2013.