This documentary will follow four students in their final two years of sixth form education. It will examine how year 12 students are adjusting to more difficult coursework compared to GCSEs and how year 13 students are preparing for university or employment while completing their A-Levels. Using a participatory observational style, the documentary will document the students' experiences through interviews, observations of their school and leisure activities, and commentary on how government policies and social pressures influence their educational decisions. It aims to share the students' journeys and show how their lives have changed with increased demands during sixth form.
2. Synopsis
With pressure from the government as well current education laws
that state that young people have to stay in education till the age
of eighteen, A-levels are the top level post GCSE courses one can
take in FE places like the sixth form at Drapers’ Academy. On top of
that there is the added social pressure for Year 13s to go to
University to be successful.
Following two students from Year 12 and two from Year 13, we look
at how year 12s are settling in and coming to terms with harder work
compared to GCSEs and how Year 13s are finishing off their A-Levels
and preparing for University or going into the world of work.
3. The story shown will document how life has changed for the
participants. Voiceovers will enable to show to changes from
scene.
Careful editing will allow the audience to go on the same journey
with the participants to share in their work and their leisure time.
We will look at how the pressure of personal statements and
preparing for exams has had an effect on Year13s.
It will only feature key events and will tell a story over a few days.
The main point is document how current laws and the social
pressure has had an effect on students and the need to stay in
education for as long as possible.
4. What style will be used for the
documentary?
After looking at the different types of documentary styles, I have
decided that for a topic such as this I have gone for a participatory
/ observational style approach.
The documentary will be presented in a series format following the
lives of the selected participants, documenting how their life has
changed and how they have adapted to this.
5. Construction.
Interview with Miss Armstrong, Head of Sixth Form.
Observations of participants.
Interviews at key moments with participants.
Possible interviews with the Head teacher.
Editing to show an argument.
6. TV Station and audience
Looking back on audience feedback, both on survey monkey and hand
writing questionnaires there are conflicting views as to what channel my
documentary will be on.
Either Channel 4 or BBC channels.
Because of the nature of this documentary and the subject it is about. I
have decided to go with presenting the documentary on Channel 4.
My audience was at first was believed to be niche however looking at
my results, I can see that it is for a much wider audience.