Educating Cardiff

TV Show · Documentary

`Educating Cardiff' is a documentary series following the daily activity at Willows High School, which is based in the southeast of Cardiff. Joy Ballard became a head teacher at Willows High at a time when it was one of the worst-performing schools in the country; now four years later results have drastically improved. The episodes introduce the teachers and pupils as they work towards important exams that can have an effect on the students' futures. Mr Hennessy reveals his preferred teaching methods and two Year 11 girls discuss their concerns.

2015 · 47m

Director Nicola Brown

EPISODE 1

Episode 1

We meet Head Teacher Joy Ballad, her team of staff and some dynamic students. Under Joy's leadership the Willows High School in Cardiff has made a huge turnaround since it was one of the worst performing schools in Cardiff.

47 min
EPISODE 2

Episode 2

Two Year 7 boys make the transition from being the biggest fish at primary school to being the smallest at secondary. Teachers are worried that nervous Aaron is finding it hard to make friends, while Assad's naughty antics are disrupting the school.

46 min
EPISODE 4

Episode 4

The focus is on relationships in Year 8. Linda and her brother Florian are both big characters at Willows High, but will their behaviour affect each other? Corey and Gethin are best friends, but they have to compete for the title of Rugby Captain.

47 min
EPISODE 5

Episode 5

At Willows High School, Benjy and Kalid are struggling to keep up in a fundamentally important but traditionally unpopular subject, Maths.

45 min
EPISODE 7

Episode 7

This episode focuses on a group of children who can sometimes present Willows High School with quite a challenge, but whom Head Teacher Joy Ballard can relate to.

46 min

Nicola Brown

Director
Alex Kohler

Producer

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