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Teaching is one of the top professions in the world that can lead you to a state of pure disillusionment. I have a dear friend in education who started off her career as a starry-eyed idealist, fully prepared to walk into her classroom to change her students’ lives forever, Mr. Keating style. She genuinely believed that by the end of the semester, her students would be shouting something along the lines of “O’ Captain, My Captain!” à la Dead Poets Society. But the truth is, by the end of week 1, she was already contemplating quitting her job for good. Every day, she’d come home crying, with one existential crisis after another.
While she’s miraculously managed to figure out how to navigate the bizarre dynamics of teaching, it took her a long time to get there. After much trial and error, she’s now one of the most respected teachers in the district. I’ll admit, despite how chaotic of a journey my friend has had, it’s always fascinating to hear about her classroom lore while teaching year 11 English. Whenever we have dinner parties together, her tales of woe are always the highlight of the night.
As such, I’m not surprised that this chaotic dynamic between teachers and students is being explored in a comedy series called Schooled, based on Delia-René-Donaldson’s real-life experiences. And this is going to be one show to remember.
Here's everything you need to know about Schooled.
What is Schooled about?
According to the synopsis for Schooled, which will air on Channel 4, the comedy series will zoom in on the life of Kayleigh Clark, a woman who is struggling to cope with her obnoxious classroom of students. Her teaching career is rife with AI-generated cheating scandals and unfortunate bribery dynamics. But at the end of the day, the series has a whole lot of heart, which is described by showrunners as a “comedic love letter to school support staff and teachers across the UK.”
You know what's the most exciting part of Schooled? Charithra Chandran, Bridgerton star, has already been cast in the role of "T," along with Shiloh Coke, who will play Kayleigh Clarke (you might know her from Cheaters).
Delia-René Donaldson, the creator and writer behind Schooled, told Channel 4 that: "I created Schooled to celebrate the joy, chaos, and beauty of being a Head of Year — with Caribbean essence, a sharp sense of humour, and a lot of heart. It’s bold, funny, and unapologetically us! Partnering with Afolabi Kuti who has been championing my show since the beginning, we have now found a home with Channel 4, it has been equal parts laughter and magic. We’ve cooked up something special — and now it’s time to serve it hot!”
Honestly, there’s a whole lot to unpack here, and I for one can’t wait to watch.
Where can I watch Schooled?
We don't have an official release date quite yet, but until then, check out what the Channel 4 site and app have to offer!
Who's in the Schooled cast?
Charithra Chandran in Prime Video's How To Date Billy Walsh.
Prime Video
The Schooled cast includes:
- Shiloh Coke as Kayleigh Clarke: a Head of Year 10 teacher who (ironically) has a hard time with teens.
- Judi Love as Anita
- Michelle de Swarte as Naomi
- Charithra Chandran as Lara
- Rebecca Humphries
- Alex Bhat
- Elliot Barnes-Worrell
So...what's going on with schools?
If you haven't been exploring that side of TikTok lately, which features disgruntled professors explaining in detail why they’re leaving the education system, essentially, many teachers are jumping ship due to a loss of hope for the next generation. Illiteracy rates are skyrocketing, and it’s easy to feel a sense of bitter disillusionment.
It seems that schooling dynamics are no longer what they used to be, when teachers had the authority in the room, and students respected the fact the adults were in charge. Nowadays, many teachers are complaining the roles have been reversed, and students are now leading the classroom while teachers are left throwing their hands up in defeat. It’s a new world, and I, for one, am always curious about how these adults in the educational system work through these contemporary classroom dilemmas. And it seems like Schooled will shed some light (and laughter) on the whole subject.
Focusing on all things fall? Check out 14 New Trader Joe’s Items To Try In September (Before They’re Gone).
