School of Silence
School of Silence is a British children's TV series which airs on CBBC. The show ran from 2009 until 2013. In the show, a group of noisy children in a particular area of Britain are sent to the titular "School of Silence", where they must learn to be silent. The first season was presented by Barney Harwood, and the second season by Simon Greenall, as a narrator.
The children have 3 classes at the school, followed by a final exam. The headmistress, Miss Gobstop, is able to monitor the noise levels using a machine named the "Gobstop 2000". In the second season the machine is upgraded, to the "Gobstop 3000". In the first season, if the students pass the final exam, they graduate and take the "Golden Gobstopper" as a prize. In the second season, they get prizes from the confiscated cupboard. If they fail, they are expelled. In the first season, the expelled students receive a whoopee cushion, while in the second they receive nothing so no consolation prize for those who fail.
The first class is with Mr. Gross. His challenges included throwing wet toilet paper at a target called “Flying Toilet Paper”, the “Maggots Foot Spa” where the chosen participant would put their bare feet in a tub of maggots or in similar challenge where the chosen child would put their bare feet into slime filled boots which was called “Gunge Boot.” Other challenges included “Boiled Egg Roulette” where the chosen child would crack an egg on their own head, a “Slush Avalanche” where one of the participants would pour freezing cold ice down their friends back & others named “Hairy Scary Werewolf” & “Pink Poodle” where the chosen child would be covered in treacle and artificial hair. This class was present in both season’s one & two.
In the first season, the second class is with Nora Nugget and her assistant, Britney Biscuit. In her challenge, students combine different foods, and one student is chosen to eat the final product of these combinations.
In the second season, Nora and Britney are replaced by Miss Adventure, a geography teacher and explorer. Challenges in her class involve custard pies to the face, contestant’s faces being painted on, and riding adults dressed as camels.
In the first season, the third class is taken by Mrs. Bunsen, whose challenges are science-based.They included the “Human Carwash” where the chosen participant would endure shaving foam, wax (which was gunge), and a water rinse spray on the head and “Instant Snowman” where the chosen child would have to wear a black felt shirt and their friends would be throwing artificial snow at them to see if it would stick or not.
In the second season, the third class is taken by Mr Les Prance, a performing arts teacher. Challenges in his class are theatrically based, such as copying exercise routines whilst joined at the ankles and performing ballet with dog toys strapped to their shoes.
In the first season, the Final Exam is supervised by Colonel Kittens. The children are put in stocks, barefoot. For 90 seconds the students were tickled on their bare feet, as the teacher made faces and used a fart machine, to try to make them laugh or scream.
In the second season, Colonel Kittens was replaced by a German professor, named "The Professor", and his glove puppet assistant, ‘Herr Helmut’. In the Final Exam contestants are strapped to chairs and are confronted with Silly String, Pies and Gunge.
Characters
Series 1
Miss Gobstop- Headmistress (Natacza Boon)
Mr Gross- Form Tutor (George Sawyer)
Nora Nugget- Chief Dinner Lady (Daniel Wiltshire)
Britney Biscuit- Nora's Silent Assistant (Jolana Lee)
Miss Bunsen- Science Teacher (Nicole Davis)
Colonel Kittens- Army Colonel (George Sawyer)
Nurse- The School Nurse (Jolana Lee)
Series 2
Miss Gobstop- Headmistress (Natacza Boon), absent for two episodes.
Mr Gross- Form Tutor and Deputy Headmaster for two episodes (George Sawyer)
Miss Adventure- Explorer (Susan Calman)
Mr Les Prance- Performing Arts Teacher (Junior Simpson)
The Professor- German Science Professor (Billy Kirkwood)
Nurse- The School Nurse (Leah MacRae)
Hammy the Hamster- The School's Hamster (voiced by Dave Chapman)
List Of Challenges
Series 1
Mr Gross’s Class
- What You Looking At? (Ep1,7)- The chosen child is forced to look at Mr Gross whilst he makes funny faces at them for 30 seconds.
- Gunge Boot (Ep1,11)- The chosen child is made to wear wellington boots which one of their friends has filled up with gunge.
- Slush/Ice Slush Mush/Fishy Avalanche (Ep1,11,12)- The chosen child has to endure 30 seconds of intense coldness as one of their friends pours ice and sometimes a fish down their back.
- Snot Hold (Ep2)- The chosen child holds gunge in their hands.
- Foot Paint (Ep2,4)- A fellow teammate is selected to paint the chosen child’s feet in an array of different colours.
- Sticky Beak (Ep3)- The chosen child has syrup, feathers and a beak put on them by a fellow teammate.
- Teddy Trump (Ep3,13)- The chosen child has to hold a teddy which makes farting sounds.
- Maggot Foot Spa (Ep3)- Lots of smelly maggots are poured onto the unfortunate child’s feet by one of their teammates.
- Pink Poodle (Ep4)- The chosen child has pink artificial fur and syrup put onto their face in a challenge similar to “Sticky Beak.”
- Badger/Cat Sick Glove (Ep4,10)- A child is selected to wear gloves filled by one of their friends with slime.
- Dog Sick (Ep5)- The chosen child is forced to wear to wellington boots which they think is filled with dog sick.
- Sludgy/Sand Back (Ep5,8)- The chosen child has sand poured under their shirt by a fellow teammate.
- Say What (Ep6,8,9,13)- The chosen child is forced to watch their teammate pick up funny speech bubbles such as “I lick frogs” or “My best friend is a maggot.”
- Hairy Scary Werewolf (Ep6)- The chosen child has artificial fur and syrup stuck onto their face in a challenge similar to “Sticky Beak.”
- Flower Pot Head (Ep6,9)- The child selected has a pot strapped to their head and a teammate pours soil and water into it.
- Clown Face (Ep7)- The chosen child has their face painted as a clown by a fellow teammate.
- Flying Toilet Paper (Ep7,8,12)- A child is selected to wear a target around their neck and the fellow teammates will be chucking wet toilet paper at them trying to hit the target.
- Maggot Hold (Ep9,11)- One child is chosen to hold disgusting maggot’s in their hands for a length of 30 seconds.
- Stinky Socks (Ep10)- A child is chosen to wear a gas mask with smelly socks fitted into it for 30 seconds.
- Squirty Santa (Ep13)- With the help of their friends a child is made to look like Santa with whipped cream and a Santa Claus hat.
Nora Nugget’s Class
- Feed A Friend (Ep1,2,13)
- Mushy Pea/Custard/Chocolate Salon (Ep1,5,8)
- Banana Split Head (Ep2)
- Pink Peach Smoothie (Ep3)
- Splatapult Chocomash/Mushy Peas (Ep3,10)
- No Hands Smoothie (Ep4)
- Curdy Jam Face (Ep4)
- Horse Berry/Mushroom Curd Sandwich (Ep5,9)
- Silent Trump (Ep6,11)
- Puppet Food (Ep6)
- Human Pizza (Ep7,11)
- Cake Face (Ep8)
- Crispy Crickets (Ep8)
- Veggie Spread ‘Tache (Ep9)
- Sprout Trifle/Gherkin Jelly (Ep10,12)
- Chin Sundae (Ep12)
- Doughnut Dip (Ep13)
Miss Bunsen’s Class
- Instant Snowman (Ep1,2)
- Turbo Take-Off/Fizzy Jet Pack/Scuba Pack (Ep1,3)
- Toxic Slugs/Catch A Cold/Rain Catcher (Ep2,10,13)
- Invincible Glove (Ep3)
- Sticky Hat (Ep4,12)
- Camouflage/Invisibility Suit (Ep4,5)
- Human Laundry/Carwash (Ep5,7,11)
- Balancing Boot (Ep6)
- Star Suit (Ep7,13)
- Non Drop Gloves (Ep8)
- Fizzy Silent Disco (Ep8,9)
- Trapped Gas/Levitation/Human Airbag (Ep9,11,12)
- Invisible Umbrella (Ep10)
Episodes
Episode No. | Names | From | Graduated or Expelled |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Danika
Bruce Luke Rory |
Kent | Expelled |
2. | Shammel
Revana Tamera Nathan |
East London / Hackney | Graduated |
3. | Louise
Scott Ross Shannon |
Glasgow | Graduated |
4. | Oliver
Carl Leia Connor |
Liverpool | Expelled |
5. | Dennis
Matthew Brandon Liam |
Sunderland | Graduated |
6. | Maria
Kiyana Hannah Zainab |
West London / Ealing | Graduated |
7. | Taylor
Aaron Charlotte Alice |
Cardiff & Buckinghamshire | Graduated |
8. | Elissa
Gabby Cagdas Mahan |
North London/Finchley | Expelled |
9. | Sebastian
Gregory Michael Fatima |
Birmingham | Graduated |
10. | Tsvey
Kelsey Donni Megan |
Brighton | Graduated |
11. | Nicola
Armani Rudi Mollie |
Leeds | Expelled |
12. | Callum
Connor Saffron Con |
Ipswich | Expelled |
13. | RJ
Kira Connor Lyndon |
Bristol | Graduated |
Episode No. | Names | From | Graduated or Expelled |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Harry
Anna Abbie Cameron |
Merseyside | Graduated |
2. | Charlie
Tamika Joshua Ellison |
Birmingham | Expelled |
3. | Mahmuda
Jevon John Yousurf |
Sunderland | Graduated |
4. | Ty
Ajit Muzzy Sharif |
London | Graduated |
5. | Amy
Chloe Ellen Christiana |
London / Bromley | Expelled |
6. | Kavita
Tariq Ricco Humza |
Glasgow | Graduated |
7. | Evan
Caitlin Jay Ollie |
Cardiff | Expelled |
8. | Ross
Jodie Josh Rachel |
Glasgow &
Edinburgh |
Graduated |
9. | Caylum
Adam. N Husain Adam. L |
Cardiff | Expelled |
10. | Aran
Anton Sunesh Hassan NOTE:Natacza Boon was off sick in this episode |
London / Wandsworth | Expelled |
11. | George
Anna Sameer Rachel |
London / Hackney | Expelled |
12. | Jonathan
Abi Jamie Chloe |
Bristol & Cornwall | Graduated |
13. | Oliver
Marcie Callum Ashlea |
Carlisle | Expelled |
14. | Khadejah
Jake Mohammed Kane |
Manchester | Expelled |
15. | Rory
Ella Jamil Dania NOTE:Natacza Boon was off sick in this episode |
Cardiff | Expelled |
16. | Adam
Salman Paris-Marie Upinder |
Leeds | Graduated |
17. | Iman
Molly Saffi Nour |
Manchester | Graduated |
18. | Logan
Callum Callie Lauren |
Newcastle | Graduated |
19. | Chloe
Kian Emma Odhran |
Belfast | Graduated |
20. | Jessica
Eva Omar Jake |
Glasgow | Graduated |
References
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01f1q37
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2080940/
https://subsaga.com/bbc/childrens/school-of-silence/series-1/
https://subsaga.com/bbc/childrens/school-of-silence/series-2/