ITV Schools - The English Programme - A Question Of Talk (1987) 1/3
The golden age of Schools TV may've been the late-70s and early-80s, but taken from some serious proof here, Schools TV in the late-80s could still being in the big boys, an almost star-studded episode by Schools TV standards, with "The English Programme" in a one-off gameshow about "A Question of Talk" presented by gameshow presenter Robert Robinson (of "Ask The Family" and "Call My Bluff" fame), along with team captains Bill Oddie, who used to be quite synonymous for appearing on kids TV in the 70s and 80s, and BBC Radio 1 DJ and "Top of the Pops" presenter Janice Long.
Showing posts with label Schools TV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Schools TV. Show all posts
Monday, 22 March 2010
Tuesday, 16 March 2010
Come Aboard the Toy Monorail Folks...
ITV Schools - Physics In Action
Been quite hard to find the year and even the decade for this, but I think it's from the 1980s. This short clips talks about the laws of motion, involving these gliding magnets along a railing, something like a minature monorail. Narrated by Charles Foster, "Physics In Action" as far as I know was still being made for ITV Schools in the late-80s.
The presentation of the show is eerily similar to the 2000s spoof 70s/80s schools series "Look Around You".
Been quite hard to find the year and even the decade for this, but I think it's from the 1980s. This short clips talks about the laws of motion, involving these gliding magnets along a railing, something like a minature monorail. Narrated by Charles Foster, "Physics In Action" as far as I know was still being made for ITV Schools in the late-80s.
The presentation of the show is eerily similar to the 2000s spoof 70s/80s schools series "Look Around You".
Saturday, 6 March 2010
Perhaps the Coolest or the Creepiest Schools TV theme...
BBC Schools - Zig Zag
Another landmark BBC schools series that began in 1983, replacing "Merry-go-round" that focused on historical content. This was a series of programmes that focused on the early middle ages and the Normans in 1985. Continuity is shown first, much to type, for TV was much slower paced in those days. We see the old striped 70s/80s BBC2 ident, and then we're off to an intro of Tron-like proportions at 1 mins 5 seconds in. Very 80s, with creepy sounding 80s synth, and wire-frame computer technology. The robotised voice at the end, was to creep you out further with rapid interjections of "Zig Zag!".
The educational programme is still repeated today, and new programmes were being made right up to the 2000s, focusing on Tudor history and ancient history.
Another landmark BBC schools series that began in 1983, replacing "Merry-go-round" that focused on historical content. This was a series of programmes that focused on the early middle ages and the Normans in 1985. Continuity is shown first, much to type, for TV was much slower paced in those days. We see the old striped 70s/80s BBC2 ident, and then we're off to an intro of Tron-like proportions at 1 mins 5 seconds in. Very 80s, with creepy sounding 80s synth, and wire-frame computer technology. The robotised voice at the end, was to creep you out further with rapid interjections of "Zig Zag!".
The educational programme is still repeated today, and new programmes were being made right up to the 2000s, focusing on Tudor history and ancient history.
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Top to Bottom, Up and Over
Words and Pictures - Noisy Neville - Part 1
Great uploads from a Youtube user here, uploading quite a few "Words and Pictures" full episodes from mid-80s era of presenter Vicky Ireland along with her animated sidekick Charlie, set in a book library. This, along with "Look and Read" was one of the BBC Schools flagship shows, and the most fondly remembered too. The series would later focus on phonics, and use and sound of certain letters, however, here there is a focus on one letter and a themed around a word that starts with that specific letter. Here it is "N" and the theme is "Noise".
Of course, the iconic part of the show was "The Magic Pencil". It was a floating pencil with a sort of guiding light at the very end, slowly showing how a letter should be written, but all that "flick" nonsense, isn't completely neccessary! However, here it is "Top to Bottom, Up and Over" as voiced by the homely Vicky Ireland off-screen for that part of the show, as the orange levitating pencil - nobody holding it, honest-in a black background.
Charlie is the little man who will pop out of nowhere to talk to Vicky or associate himself with the group of strongly multi-ethnic children. The fluidity of the animation on his face now seem rather strange, it doesn't look computer generated or stock animation, you just know it's been developed slowly in any case. This era of "Words and Pictures" was superior to what followed, which feels more detached with less child attachment and no Charlie. Vicky Ireland would later be replaced by Stuart Bradley and cat puppet Nutmeg in 1990, followed by Sophie Aldred in 1992, of "Doctor Who" fame, and the animation sections were made by the same people (Alan Rogers which brought you the early 80's children's classic "Pigeon Street".
The show began in 1970 under the guidance of Gabriel Woolf and under a different name entitled "Up in the Attic". Gabriel would summon a magic lamp to bring out various puppet characters. Then it came under another name from 1972-73, called "Sam on Boffs' Island", a 20 episode storytale about little puppet men named Boffs, a huge host of characters like What-Boff, Paper-Boof, Sell-Boff. This also starred a young Tony Robinson and Miriam Margolyes. By 1975, it was "Words and Pictures" presented by Henry Woolf and the beginning of the Magic Pencil.
This website is my reference here, and there is alot of information about those early years of the show especially. I'll add this website to my blog links soon.
http://www.broadcastforschools.co.uk/site/Words_and_Pictures
The show still runs in some form, with it's last series screened on the satellite channel "CBeebies" in 2006 named "Words and Pictures: Fun with Phonics". It also has it's own BBC interactive website. Why do you want to see it, heehee, the average age of people coming here is probably 30! It is still a widely used material used by schools today.
Great uploads from a Youtube user here, uploading quite a few "Words and Pictures" full episodes from mid-80s era of presenter Vicky Ireland along with her animated sidekick Charlie, set in a book library. This, along with "Look and Read" was one of the BBC Schools flagship shows, and the most fondly remembered too. The series would later focus on phonics, and use and sound of certain letters, however, here there is a focus on one letter and a themed around a word that starts with that specific letter. Here it is "N" and the theme is "Noise".
Of course, the iconic part of the show was "The Magic Pencil". It was a floating pencil with a sort of guiding light at the very end, slowly showing how a letter should be written, but all that "flick" nonsense, isn't completely neccessary! However, here it is "Top to Bottom, Up and Over" as voiced by the homely Vicky Ireland off-screen for that part of the show, as the orange levitating pencil - nobody holding it, honest-in a black background.
Charlie is the little man who will pop out of nowhere to talk to Vicky or associate himself with the group of strongly multi-ethnic children. The fluidity of the animation on his face now seem rather strange, it doesn't look computer generated or stock animation, you just know it's been developed slowly in any case. This era of "Words and Pictures" was superior to what followed, which feels more detached with less child attachment and no Charlie. Vicky Ireland would later be replaced by Stuart Bradley and cat puppet Nutmeg in 1990, followed by Sophie Aldred in 1992, of "Doctor Who" fame, and the animation sections were made by the same people (Alan Rogers which brought you the early 80's children's classic "Pigeon Street".
The show began in 1970 under the guidance of Gabriel Woolf and under a different name entitled "Up in the Attic". Gabriel would summon a magic lamp to bring out various puppet characters. Then it came under another name from 1972-73, called "Sam on Boffs' Island", a 20 episode storytale about little puppet men named Boffs, a huge host of characters like What-Boff, Paper-Boof, Sell-Boff. This also starred a young Tony Robinson and Miriam Margolyes. By 1975, it was "Words and Pictures" presented by Henry Woolf and the beginning of the Magic Pencil.
This website is my reference here, and there is alot of information about those early years of the show especially. I'll add this website to my blog links soon.
http://www.broadcastforschools.co.uk/site/Words_and_Pictures
The show still runs in some form, with it's last series screened on the satellite channel "CBeebies" in 2006 named "Words and Pictures: Fun with Phonics". It also has it's own BBC interactive website. Why do you want to see it, heehee, the average age of people coming here is probably 30! It is still a widely used material used by schools today.
Friday, 12 February 2010
One of the Giants in ITV/Channel 4 Schools Programming...It's Kinda Sad to Say That but it's True!
Stop Look Listen "Railways"
I was going to post about a titles only video about the same programme, but even better, I found a full episode from 1986. "Stop Look Listen" was an ITV Schools programme which educated and helped children to learn about the outside world, really. Although the title and opening credits come across as a glorified public information film about crossing the road, being wary of cars. This episode doesn't distance too much away from the subject of transport, with the focus on trains. You may hear a well-known voice, it's Chris "Do you want to Ask the Audience, Phone a Friend or 50/50?" Tarrant, who was a large presence on the show throughout the 1980s. Tarrant featured as an out-of-vision narrator since the second series in 1975. However the show's first series was in 1971.
In this clip, we see probably one of the best regional idents at the time, of Central Television, formerly ATV. The beginning credits are cut off, which were fairly interesting. The episode, it's a fairly mundane task for a teacher and his pupils, who are taking a trip in a train from Birmingham to Kidderminster. However, Tarrant vocally and visually point us to the inner workings of the railway, how a signal box works etc. Which was what certain school programmes were good at, making mundane items more compelling, without too of a fuss or budget or any great frills, and no need for a sexy host!
It's hard to find much information about the later years of "Stop, Look and Listen" (IMDB only lists it as a 1977 show), but the programme survived the jump to Channel 4 in 1987, still under the "ITV Schools moniker", and the end of ITV Schools on Four in 1993. It ran into the 2000's along with other not-so long running programmes like "Scientific Eye" until Channel 4 decided to turn it's attention from children to the unemployed "yoof" in 2007.
I was going to post about a titles only video about the same programme, but even better, I found a full episode from 1986. "Stop Look Listen" was an ITV Schools programme which educated and helped children to learn about the outside world, really. Although the title and opening credits come across as a glorified public information film about crossing the road, being wary of cars. This episode doesn't distance too much away from the subject of transport, with the focus on trains. You may hear a well-known voice, it's Chris "Do you want to Ask the Audience, Phone a Friend or 50/50?" Tarrant, who was a large presence on the show throughout the 1980s. Tarrant featured as an out-of-vision narrator since the second series in 1975. However the show's first series was in 1971.
In this clip, we see probably one of the best regional idents at the time, of Central Television, formerly ATV. The beginning credits are cut off, which were fairly interesting. The episode, it's a fairly mundane task for a teacher and his pupils, who are taking a trip in a train from Birmingham to Kidderminster. However, Tarrant vocally and visually point us to the inner workings of the railway, how a signal box works etc. Which was what certain school programmes were good at, making mundane items more compelling, without too of a fuss or budget or any great frills, and no need for a sexy host!
It's hard to find much information about the later years of "Stop, Look and Listen" (IMDB only lists it as a 1977 show), but the programme survived the jump to Channel 4 in 1987, still under the "ITV Schools moniker", and the end of ITV Schools on Four in 1993. It ran into the 2000's along with other not-so long running programmes like "Scientific Eye" until Channel 4 decided to turn it's attention from children to the unemployed "yoof" in 2007.
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Light 'Em Up!
BBC Science in Primary Schools 1967
The beginning of a rare 60's BBC Schools Programme entitled "Science in the Primary School", with the subtitles of "A New Direction". The main interest this serves, although a short clip, but long enough to surmise the difference of schools today - becoming increasingly active with the internet and computers - to school back in the late-60's, no computers, only the tools in you're hand, whether that be chalk or pencil. The children are crowding round experiments, measuring temperature and the wind direction & speed and rainfall. Remember, schools were improving back, but still did not have the sort of luxuries, an average comprehensive would have, in more modern times. Taking a good guess this is an all boys' school, and not just natural selection at work here.
In the middle of the clip, what looks like a rocket or firework being lit. Let's hope those hands are the teacher's! Definitely not in practice now, due to safety concerns. I think the modern alternative to this, is firing a plastic bottle, where air is somehow launched into the bottle, and it goes as high as a kite. And oh, there are girls in this school class after all. However, they seemed to be off-camera or in the background, in this very short scene. Then we go to a four member panel of adults, overly-dressed (seems rather a sudden edit, perhaps highlights of the episode provided by the Youtube user), making way for a poem read by a female class member voiceover, and then we go to the rolling tranparent credits, on a drawing of kids in a playground getting high. Oh joy.
The beginning of a rare 60's BBC Schools Programme entitled "Science in the Primary School", with the subtitles of "A New Direction". The main interest this serves, although a short clip, but long enough to surmise the difference of schools today - becoming increasingly active with the internet and computers - to school back in the late-60's, no computers, only the tools in you're hand, whether that be chalk or pencil. The children are crowding round experiments, measuring temperature and the wind direction & speed and rainfall. Remember, schools were improving back, but still did not have the sort of luxuries, an average comprehensive would have, in more modern times. Taking a good guess this is an all boys' school, and not just natural selection at work here.
In the middle of the clip, what looks like a rocket or firework being lit. Let's hope those hands are the teacher's! Definitely not in practice now, due to safety concerns. I think the modern alternative to this, is firing a plastic bottle, where air is somehow launched into the bottle, and it goes as high as a kite. And oh, there are girls in this school class after all. However, they seemed to be off-camera or in the background, in this very short scene. Then we go to a four member panel of adults, overly-dressed (seems rather a sudden edit, perhaps highlights of the episode provided by the Youtube user), making way for a poem read by a female class member voiceover, and then we go to the rolling tranparent credits, on a drawing of kids in a playground getting high. Oh joy.
Friday, 22 January 2010
Oh, How Depressing...
BRITISH SOCIAL HISTORY - Mill Children 1/2
"Hard Times in the mill, my lord"
An depressing account of the poverty-striken from presenter Robin Ray, looking like a long-lost fifth Beatle, presents this show or discussion on the plight of children in late 18th century, and onward to the 19th century, of children from "the poorhouses" forced to work in the mill. He points out the Quarry Bank mill in Cheshire, in north west England, viewed behind him. The programme includes some reconstructions on what may've happenend at the mill, and agreements made in business. Ray, gives us a chronological history of children arduous work in the mills and the laws that were passed throughout the 19th century. We get to see inside the mill too. Back in them days, children could work over 12 hours in these mills in horrible conditions with little variety in food to nourish their bodies completely. The account isn't too depressing, as it's said as one of the better conditioned mills for the children, and the owner was quite a gentleman.
Can't find a year or date for this programme, but as claimed by the youtube user, it's 1970's. I seems it maybe from the early 70's, guessing from the fact it's in black and white, but I can't say for sure.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarry_Bank_Mill
"Hard Times in the mill, my lord"
An depressing account of the poverty-striken from presenter Robin Ray, looking like a long-lost fifth Beatle, presents this show or discussion on the plight of children in late 18th century, and onward to the 19th century, of children from "the poorhouses" forced to work in the mill. He points out the Quarry Bank mill in Cheshire, in north west England, viewed behind him. The programme includes some reconstructions on what may've happenend at the mill, and agreements made in business. Ray, gives us a chronological history of children arduous work in the mills and the laws that were passed throughout the 19th century. We get to see inside the mill too. Back in them days, children could work over 12 hours in these mills in horrible conditions with little variety in food to nourish their bodies completely. The account isn't too depressing, as it's said as one of the better conditioned mills for the children, and the owner was quite a gentleman.
Can't find a year or date for this programme, but as claimed by the youtube user, it's 1970's. I seems it maybe from the early 70's, guessing from the fact it's in black and white, but I can't say for sure.
Robin Ray actor, musician and broadcaster, born in 1934, and died in 1998. he was a Classical music expert, who panelled shows like "Face The Music" and chaired "Call My Bluff", in 1965 and 1966 respectively. He was a prominent part in the begining of Classic FM in 1990's, as an executive.
I'm pleased to say the Quarry Bank mill still exists today, as a heritage site:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarry_Bank_Mill
Saturday, 9 January 2010
Maths gets a Barbie-Makeover..
ITV Schools Junction - October 1982 Basic Maths
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GERd72aJ_Z4
Oh, lovely. What more makes weekday morning complete without watching some sums? Why not equate you're love for it, by watching this clip/near full episode of "Basic Maths". We first see the minimalistic "Independent Television for Schools and Colleges" logo start-up, with some lovely flute music, ticking down to our next programme, produced by ATV and Central TV. We then see stop-motion intro of magically moving and changing objects, and we also get a bit of phonics as, each letter of the title, are pronounced childishly, which seems to be set against a Butcher's shop wall, and telling from the multi-coloured wall, he may also be "a bit of a character". Anyway, for most of the show, we're faced with a now garish-looking pink set, presented by Fred Harris and Mary Waterhouse. Along with alternative kids-putting-maths-into-practice section, and a pair of hands helping us along the way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GERd72aJ_Z4
Oh, lovely. What more makes weekday morning complete without watching some sums? Why not equate you're love for it, by watching this clip/near full episode of "Basic Maths". We first see the minimalistic "Independent Television for Schools and Colleges" logo start-up, with some lovely flute music, ticking down to our next programme, produced by ATV and Central TV. We then see stop-motion intro of magically moving and changing objects, and we also get a bit of phonics as, each letter of the title, are pronounced childishly, which seems to be set against a Butcher's shop wall, and telling from the multi-coloured wall, he may also be "a bit of a character". Anyway, for most of the show, we're faced with a now garish-looking pink set, presented by Fred Harris and Mary Waterhouse. Along with alternative kids-putting-maths-into-practice section, and a pair of hands helping us along the way.
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
Look and Read: School TV's Answer to "The Chronicles of Narnia"
Through the Dragon's Eye: Episode 1, part 1
One of Look and Read's most well-known and fantastical of the programme's 10 part extravagant plays was "Through the Dragon's Eye". And here is the full play. However, all "Wordy" sections of the show do not feature here. Those would feature a human presenter and "Wordy", a levitating live-action, alphabet letter decorated orange man with arms, voiced by Charles Collingwood. They would practise the use of sentances, as well as classic "Remember where this letter goes here insertion" songs like the unfairly joked about "Magic E" song, or how about "Build Your Brick Upon A Wall" by a Geordie builder!
This was the most blockbuster School's TV ever got close too. First aired on 19th September 1989, "Through the Dragon's Eye" was perhaps inspired by the BBC's live action dramatised version of "The Chronicles of Narnia", the year earlier. This show has that very rich nostalgic factor, especially if you grew up in the 80's.
3 children by the name of Jenny, Amanda and Scott are transported to the land of Pelamar, encouraged sort of, by a man in a dragon costume named Gorwen. This turns into a classic good vs. evil battle and the quest the pieces of the "Veetacore" which are stolen by the baddie of the name Charn, who looks kind of creepy, a mask covers the face, making it look like a massive conk or beak. What is also vivid about the show, is the 3 Veetacore Keepers, Doris (purple), Boris (orange) and Morris (green). The actors are painted the bracketed colour all over their skin, along with some very fetching and matching clothes. Boris is the star here, being of most help, accompanying the children and Gorwen.
The show can be a little disturbing at times, as well as hallucinagenetic for drunken adults. Morris gets zapped into a green puddle, but everything is OK in the end of course.
There are still songs featured during the play, which are all sang by the legendary Derek Griffiths and Julie Stevens. Obscure thought here, but I used to think the actor who plays Boris, Timothy Lyn, was the same guy that played "Watt" from an obscure CBBC show "Watt on Earth", as it sounded and looked like him, but I was wrong.
One of Look and Read's most well-known and fantastical of the programme's 10 part extravagant plays was "Through the Dragon's Eye". And here is the full play. However, all "Wordy" sections of the show do not feature here. Those would feature a human presenter and "Wordy", a levitating live-action, alphabet letter decorated orange man with arms, voiced by Charles Collingwood. They would practise the use of sentances, as well as classic "Remember where this letter goes here insertion" songs like the unfairly joked about "Magic E" song, or how about "Build Your Brick Upon A Wall" by a Geordie builder!
This was the most blockbuster School's TV ever got close too. First aired on 19th September 1989, "Through the Dragon's Eye" was perhaps inspired by the BBC's live action dramatised version of "The Chronicles of Narnia", the year earlier. This show has that very rich nostalgic factor, especially if you grew up in the 80's.
3 children by the name of Jenny, Amanda and Scott are transported to the land of Pelamar, encouraged sort of, by a man in a dragon costume named Gorwen. This turns into a classic good vs. evil battle and the quest the pieces of the "Veetacore" which are stolen by the baddie of the name Charn, who looks kind of creepy, a mask covers the face, making it look like a massive conk or beak. What is also vivid about the show, is the 3 Veetacore Keepers, Doris (purple), Boris (orange) and Morris (green). The actors are painted the bracketed colour all over their skin, along with some very fetching and matching clothes. Boris is the star here, being of most help, accompanying the children and Gorwen.
The show can be a little disturbing at times, as well as hallucinagenetic for drunken adults. Morris gets zapped into a green puddle, but everything is OK in the end of course.
There are still songs featured during the play, which are all sang by the legendary Derek Griffiths and Julie Stevens. Obscure thought here, but I used to think the actor who plays Boris, Timothy Lyn, was the same guy that played "Watt" from an obscure CBBC show "Watt on Earth", as it sounded and looked like him, but I was wrong.
Saturday, 19 December 2009
Youtube Schools TV Sweepstake
Continuing the Sweepstake series. Not really a "Best of..." but a generalised sweep-a-round of the variety of genres that will be posted in this blog!
For the sad people like myself, i've included "Schools TV" as a genre. It's a range of educational programmes, shown by the big 2 forces of UK TV, the BBC and ITV(later Channel 4) aimed for childen and older children, along with accompanying information packs to help school teachers make the most out of the programming for his/her class in after-math projects or tasks.
The genre reached it's peak in the late 70's - early 80's. It remained strong throughout the 80's, but began to demise in the 90's, due to possibly improved computer learning (CD-ROM) and then...the internet. In 2009, the genre has now been shunned, and hardly any new programming has been made in recent years. Just evolution or lazy-bum-budget-shrinking-ratings-obsessed terrestrial TV? You decide.
ITV Schools - Scientific Eye
"Scientific Eye" was a textbook no-frills ITV Schools and later Channel 4 schools programme, it has been popular in schools mainly for it's large array of archive or experiment footage. The starting year of the programme is a little unclear to find, but it ran in the mid-80s, right up to the early 2000's.
This clip features car crash footage, demolition works and all that other good stuff along with the usual scientific jargon. From what I recall, for most of it's tenure, it had out-of-vision announcers. In the mid-90s, it was similar, but there was a silent comedy character featured doing chores in the house as such. However, by the early 2000s or late-90's, they had in-vision presenters, and that for me RUINED the show. I enjoyed the no-frills commentating and being able to concentrate on the topic matter solely. Your getting more out of it really, at a quicker pace, but now that every bloody body wants to be a face on TV, it lost it's edge. By the time of 2002/2003, "Scientific Eye" along with many others were dumped forever as Channel 4 got rid of schools programme completely, and replaced with loosely based reality-tv, teen diary whiners or episodes of "Friends". Reason being because, Schools TV never did know how to compete with ratings, they never wanted to be cool, and that's what I liked about them, they dared to bore, so much that they were actually good.
BBC Schools - Music Time
From probably 1984, presented here by Helen Spiers Johnathon Cohen. This was a regular feature of BBC Schools in the late 70's and for all of the 80's. A great variety of instruments were shown in the show, and the presenters would be musically trained too.
I think it was later presented by former 60's music band member of "Manfred Mann" Paul Jones, who was a natural on the show.
Everybody's favourite part of the "Music Time", were the "Listen" section, which encouraged you answer the question by listening to the music, encouraged by the symbol of a random Gnome cartoon character holding onto his ear, in the pose of a Hulk Hogan celebration. In this clip the gnome indeed turns up, and you have to watch as well as listen, whether the musical band is in time with Johnathon Cohen conducting, with his hands.
Good Health - White Ivory (ATV Schools film: 1974) Part 1
"Good Health" was another long running ITV schools programmes, that ran into the 80s/90s including after the transfer of schools from ITV "We've got TV-AM to contend with now!" Schools to Channel 4 Schools. There's a couple of othe clips from this show on youtube, I'll try and fish out more for the Schools section. Hopefully they are still on there!
So this is a gem from the archives, as it's a full episode from 1974, a time when video recorder were practically non-existant. So a true gem. Watching this show, will immedietely make you want to brush your teeth, as the so-called doctor on the show what can happen to your teeth f you don't brush! There's also a quite cute sectio where the kids present plague invading your teeth and the dangers of not brushing your teeth through theatrical art. It also highlights, what you may still get at the Dentist, is this red liquid that stains your teeth red, and the plaque shows out like a sore thumb, once again another jibe to brush your teeth at least twice a day. It may be 35 years old, the message still works.
For the sad people like myself, i've included "Schools TV" as a genre. It's a range of educational programmes, shown by the big 2 forces of UK TV, the BBC and ITV(later Channel 4) aimed for childen and older children, along with accompanying information packs to help school teachers make the most out of the programming for his/her class in after-math projects or tasks.
The genre reached it's peak in the late 70's - early 80's. It remained strong throughout the 80's, but began to demise in the 90's, due to possibly improved computer learning (CD-ROM) and then...the internet. In 2009, the genre has now been shunned, and hardly any new programming has been made in recent years. Just evolution or lazy-bum-budget-shrinking-ratings-obsessed terrestrial TV? You decide.
ITV Schools - Scientific Eye
"Scientific Eye" was a textbook no-frills ITV Schools and later Channel 4 schools programme, it has been popular in schools mainly for it's large array of archive or experiment footage. The starting year of the programme is a little unclear to find, but it ran in the mid-80s, right up to the early 2000's.
This clip features car crash footage, demolition works and all that other good stuff along with the usual scientific jargon. From what I recall, for most of it's tenure, it had out-of-vision announcers. In the mid-90s, it was similar, but there was a silent comedy character featured doing chores in the house as such. However, by the early 2000s or late-90's, they had in-vision presenters, and that for me RUINED the show. I enjoyed the no-frills commentating and being able to concentrate on the topic matter solely. Your getting more out of it really, at a quicker pace, but now that every bloody body wants to be a face on TV, it lost it's edge. By the time of 2002/2003, "Scientific Eye" along with many others were dumped forever as Channel 4 got rid of schools programme completely, and replaced with loosely based reality-tv, teen diary whiners or episodes of "Friends". Reason being because, Schools TV never did know how to compete with ratings, they never wanted to be cool, and that's what I liked about them, they dared to bore, so much that they were actually good.
BBC Schools - Music Time
From probably 1984, presented here by Helen Spiers Johnathon Cohen. This was a regular feature of BBC Schools in the late 70's and for all of the 80's. A great variety of instruments were shown in the show, and the presenters would be musically trained too.
I think it was later presented by former 60's music band member of "Manfred Mann" Paul Jones, who was a natural on the show.
Everybody's favourite part of the "Music Time", were the "Listen" section, which encouraged you answer the question by listening to the music, encouraged by the symbol of a random Gnome cartoon character holding onto his ear, in the pose of a Hulk Hogan celebration. In this clip the gnome indeed turns up, and you have to watch as well as listen, whether the musical band is in time with Johnathon Cohen conducting, with his hands.
Good Health - White Ivory (ATV Schools film: 1974) Part 1
"Good Health" was another long running ITV schools programmes, that ran into the 80s/90s including after the transfer of schools from ITV "We've got TV-AM to contend with now!" Schools to Channel 4 Schools. There's a couple of othe clips from this show on youtube, I'll try and fish out more for the Schools section. Hopefully they are still on there!
So this is a gem from the archives, as it's a full episode from 1974, a time when video recorder were practically non-existant. So a true gem. Watching this show, will immedietely make you want to brush your teeth, as the so-called doctor on the show what can happen to your teeth f you don't brush! There's also a quite cute sectio where the kids present plague invading your teeth and the dangers of not brushing your teeth through theatrical art. It also highlights, what you may still get at the Dentist, is this red liquid that stains your teeth red, and the plaque shows out like a sore thumb, once again another jibe to brush your teeth at least twice a day. It may be 35 years old, the message still works.
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