{{Short description|British television programme}} {{Use British English|date=February 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}} {{Infobox television | image = | caption = | genre = {{Plainlist| * Entertainment * Documentary * Reality television }} | creator = Twofour | director = {{Plainlist| * David Clews * Nicola Brown * Alex Kohler }} | starring = Various students and teachers | voices = David Clews | country = United Kingdom | language = English | num_series = 7 | num_episodes = 47 | list_episodes = List of Educating episodes | executive_producer = {{Plainlist| * Andrew MacKenzie-Betty * Peter Moore * David Clews }} | editor = {{Plainlist| * Jonno * Paul }} | camera = {{Plainlist| * Multi camera * Dual cameras }} | runtime = 60 minutes (inc. adverts) | company = Twofour | network = Channel 4 | first_aired = {{Start date|2011|09|22|df=yes}} | last_aired = {{End date|2020|11|17|df=y}} | first_aired2 = {{Start date|2025|08|31|df=yes}} | last_aired2 = present | related = ''Our School'' }} '''''Educating...''''' is a British documentary reality television programme airing on Channel 4 which first aired on 22 September 2011. It uses a fly-on-the-wall format to show the everyday lives of the staff and pupils of secondary schools all over the UK.

In 2025, 12 years since the first installment, the series returns to Thornhill Community Academy in Thornhill, West Yorkshire and a second series of Educating Yorkshire was broadcast from August to October 2025. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Moss |first=Molly |title=Channel 4's Educating Yorkshire confirms return date for classic series {{!}} Radio Times |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/documentaries/educating-yorkshire-channel-4-return-date-newsupdate/ |access-date=2025-10-20 |website=www.radiotimes.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web | url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/documentaries/channel-4-educating-yorkshire-reimagination-newsupdate/ | title=Channel 4's Educating Yorkshire to return with new 'reimagination' }}</ref>

==Series overview== {{main|List of Educating episodes}} {{:List of Educating episodes}}

===Series 1 (2011)=== {{main|Educating Essex}} ''Educating Essex'' was commissioned by Channel 4's commissioning editor for documentaries, Mark Raphael,<ref name="twofouree">{{cite web|title=Educating Essex|url=http://www.twofour.co.uk/work/educatingessex/|publisher=Twofour|access-date=24 July 2013|archive-date=18 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718091947/http://www.twofour.co.uk/work/educatingessex/|url-status=dead}}</ref> after the channel pledged an extra £6.7&nbsp;million to documentary programming in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=C4 pledges extra £6.7m to docs|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/commissioning/c4-pledges-extra-67m-to-docs/5024034.article|work=Broadcastnow.co.uk|access-date=24 July 2013|date=18 February 2011}}</ref> It is similar to other fly-on-the-wall series broadcast by Channel 4 such as ''One Born Every Minute'', ''24 Hours in A&E'', ''The Hotel'' and ''The Family'', the last of which both director David Clews and series producer Beejal-Maya Patel had previously worked on.<ref name="bnee">{{cite web|last=Dowell|first=Ben|title=Educating Essex, Channel 4|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/educating-essex-channel-4/5031718.article|work=In Focus|access-date=24 July 2013}}</ref>

===Series 2 (2013–14)=== {{main|Educating Yorkshire}} ''Educating Yorkshire'' was commissioned by Channel 4 after the success of ''Educating Essex'' two years previously. There was interest from about 100 schools in starring in the new series. David Brindley, producer and director of the series, said "it was undoubtedly easier to find a school this time around". In January 2012, Jonny Mitchell, the headmaster of Thornhill Community Academy in Dewsbury accepted an offer to be a part of a new series based in his school.<ref name="Educating Yorkshire, Channel 4: Restoring our faith in education, The Telegraph">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10243181/Educating-Yorkshire-Channel-4-Restoring-our-faith-in-education.html |title=Educating Yorkshire, Channel 4 Restoring our faith in education, The Telegraph |access-date=20 September 2013 | location=London |work=The Daily Telegraph |first=Sarfraz |last=Manzoor |date=15 August 2013}}</ref> The school had had a bad reputation, ranking in the sixth percentile of English schools.<ref name="Educating Yorkshire, reality tv goes back to school, The Guardian">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/aug/26/educating-yorkshire-reality-tv-school |title=Educating Yorkshire, reality tv goes back to school, The Guardian |website=TheGuardian.com |date=26 August 2013 |access-date=20 September 2013}}</ref> Mitchell became headmaster in September 2011; in 2012 it reached the 94th percentile. This improvement was one of the reasons it was chosen for the series with Mitchell saying "I was proud of what we'd achieved and felt we had a story to tell".<ref name="Educating Yorkshire, Channel 4: Restoring our faith in education, The Telegraph" /> Mitchell also said "Dewsbury has suffered quite a lot in the last ten or 15 years with some adverse press. I thought this was an opportunity for us to show the positive side of the town as well".<ref name="Educating Yorkshire airs Thursdays at 9pm on Channel 4…">{{cite web |url=http://www.twofour.co.uk/news/were-immensely-intelligent-and-brilliantly-funny-head-teacher-jonny-mitchell-talks-frankly-about-shooting-educating-yorkshire/ |title=Educating Yorkshire airs Thursdays at 9&nbsp;pm on Channel 4… |access-date=20 September 2013 |archive-date=26 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926173821/http://www.twofour.co.uk/news/were-immensely-intelligent-and-brilliantly-funny-head-teacher-jonny-mitchell-talks-frankly-about-shooting-educating-yorkshire |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Series 3 (2014)=== {{main|Educating the East End}} ''Educating the East End'' was commissioned by Channel 4 after the success of ''Educating Yorkshire'' in 2013 and ''Educating Essex'' in 2011. The documentary followed a school in East London's Walthamstow.<ref name="guardian plunkett">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/24/educating-yorkshire-producer-east-london-school|title=Educating Yorkshire producers plan next series in London school|work=The Guardian|date=24 March 2014|access-date=7 October 2014}}</ref> Ten sixty-minute episodes were commissioned;<ref name="guardian plunkett" /> the first eight were shown from September to October 2014 with the other two episodes acting as ''specials''. The original title for the series was ''Educating Walthamstow'' but shortly before transmission the title was changed to ''Educating the East End''.<ref name="channel4">{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/channel-4s-educating-heads-to-east-london|title=Channel 4's "Educating..." heads to East London – Channel 4 – Info – Press|publisher=Channel 4|access-date=6 September 2014}}</ref>

===Series 4 (2015)=== {{main|Educating Cardiff}} The follow-up to ''Educating the East End'' was announced by Channel 4 on 9 December 2014.<ref name="radiotimes.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-12-09/educating-cardiff-channel-4-heads-to-wales-for-its-next-series|title=Educating Cardiff: Channel 4 heads to Wales for its next series|work=Radio Times |date=9 December 2014 |access-date=16 August 2015}}</ref> Producers had looked to schools in Scotland, Ireland and Wales for the new series before settling on Willows High School in Cardiff. Executive producer David Clews revealed "you can really feel the charm and character of the place as soon as you walk through the gates and start talking to the students". Joy Ballard initially declined TwoFour's invitation before changing her mind a month later. In preparation for the programme she took advice from Johnny Mitchell, head of Thornhill Community Academy in ''Educating Yorkshire''. The first six weeks of production saw the documentary makers observing the school and "picking up stories". Filming began in October and lasted until Christmas.<ref name="walesonline.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/we-hope-educating-cardiff-change-9451653|title='We hope Educating Cardiff will change the perception some people have of our school|publisher=Wales Online |date=14 June 2015 |access-date=16 August 2015}}</ref>

===Series 5 (2017)=== {{main|Educating Greater Manchester}} After the fourth series of the ''Educating'' series ended it was announced that the series would be shelved till 2017 to give the show a break and a rest.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/news/a800327/channel-4-educating-series-is-reportedly-shelved-until-2017/|title=C4's Educating series reportedly shelved until 2017|date=6 July 2016|work=Digital Spy}}</ref> It was announced on 22 December 2016 by Channel 4 that the ''Educating'' series would be returning in 2017 with a fifth series after a two-year break. The series was again filmed using fly-on-the-wall cameras and filmed the lives of teachers and students. The fifth series was filmed in Salford, Greater Manchester. The first trailer was released on 30 August 2017 with the series premiering on 31 August 2017 on Channel 4.

===Series 6 (2020)=== {{main|Educating Greater Manchester 2}} Channel 4 confirmed in January 2018 that the ''Educating'' programme was renewed for two further series. For the first time, the series would return to the same school for the sixth and seventh series, in Manchester.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gill|first1=Emma|title=New series of Channel 4's Educating Greater Manchester to be filmed at Harrop Fold School|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/educating-greater-manchester-harrop-fold-14198275|work=Manchester Evening News|date=24 January 2018}}</ref> The sixth and seventh series were set to be filmed back to back, with the sixth series set to comprise 16 hour-long episodes.<ref name="channel4.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/channel-4-documentaries-commissions-brand-new-series-educating-w-t|title=Channel 4 Documentaries commissions brand new series Educating w/t - Channel 4 - Info - Press|website=www.channel4.com}}</ref> However, after the school was placed into special measures by Ofsted in 2018 following reports of headmaster Drew Povey off-rolling students, Channel 4 later confirmed that the episodes would not be aired in light of the findings.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/theres-strict-new-regime-harrop-17132950 |title=There's a strict new regime at Harrop Fold school - and some parents aren't happy |work=Manchester Evening News |first=Charlotte |last=Dobson |date=24 October 2019 |access-date=6 January 2020}}</ref> In 2020, it was revealed that Channel 4 would air the unaired episodes, beginning at 9:15pm on 3 November. The unaired episodes have been promoted as being a second series of ''Educating Greater Manchester''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tellymix.co.uk/tv/499058-educating-manchester-2020-new-series-start-date-and-school-revealed.html|title=Educating Manchester 2020 new series - start date and school revealed|first=Josh|last=Darvill|date=21 October 2020|website=TellyMix}}</ref>

===Series 7 (2025)=== In July 2024 Channel 4 announced that it would reboot the ''Educating'' series after being axed back in 2020. The seventh series saw the show return to Thornhill Community Academy in Yorkshire. This was the second time the series returned to a previous school. The series was filmed over the 2024/2025 academic year and first aired on 31 August 2025 on Channel 4.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Result |- | 2012 | British Academy of Film and Television Arts | Television Craft and Director Factual | {{won}} |- | 2014 | National Television Awards | Documentary | {{won}} |}

==Spin-off series== A spin-off series was made after the second series titled ''Educating: What I Wish I'd Known...''. Each episode features a student from either series one or series two of ''Educating...''. The series was made up of six seven-minute episodes. The tagline was "What is the advice you wish you could have given your teenage self?" Filmed in 2014, this series asks students from ''Educating Essex'' and ''Educating Yorkshire'' what they would have told their younger selves. However, the series was cancelled after one series.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/educating-what-i-wish-id-known|title=Educating: What I Wish I'd Known...: Educating: What I Wish I'd Known...|website=Channel 4}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == * [http://www.channel4.com/programmes/educating-essex/ ''Educating Essex''] at Channel 4 * [http://www.twofour.co.uk/work/educatingessex/ ''Educating Essex''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201031130/http://www.twofour.co.uk/work/educatingessex/ |date=1 December 2017 }} at Twofour * {{IMDb title|2061562|Educating Essex}} * {{IMDb title|3153520|Educating Yorkshire}} * {{IMDb title|4016966|Educating the East End}} * {{IMDb title|5560250|Educating Cardiff}} * {{IMDb title|7323686|Educating Greater Manchester}}

Category:2011 British television series debuts Category:2010s British documentary television series Category:2010s British reality television series Category:2020s British documentary television series Category:2020s British reality television series Category:British high school television series Category:Channel 4 documentary series Category:English-language British television shows Category:International Emmy Award for Best Non-Scripted Entertainment winners * Category:Television series about educators Category:British television series about teenagers Category:Television series by ITV Studios Category:Television shows set in Cardiff Category:Television shows set in Essex Category:Television shows set in London Category:Television shows set in West Yorkshire Category:British television series revived after cancellation