Five fantastic back-to-school movies

The prospect of heading back to school after the long summer break can provoke a wide range of emotions, from excitement and anticipation, to more than a touch of nerves and apprehension - particularly if you’re starting somewhere new. Going to school is a universal experience though, so it’s no wonder Hollywood film writers have set some of our most loved movies inside school classrooms and corridors.

After all, not only can we all relate to going to them, but schools are full of big characters, big emotions and big drama, a perfect blend for a plot-twisting film. BBC Bitesize has teamed up with veteran film journalist Adam Smith to provide you with a list of five school-set movies to get you back in the mood for the school bell ringing once again.

Wicked (2024) - PG

‘Magical’ schools have been a mainstay of family films from the Harry Potter movies’ Hogwarts to Professor Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters in the X-Men franchise. Now we can add Wicked’s Shiz University to the list of educational establishments that teach a lot more than Eng. Lit. and R.E.

What’s the plot? The plot has Elphaba, who will eventually become The Wizard of Oz’s Wicked Witch Of The West, first arriving at Shiz University. She is placed in a dorm with the most popular girl in school - Glinda. The two start as sworn enemies but, as they get to know each other, develop an uneasy bond.

Who’s in the cast? Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba), Ariana Grande (Glinda), Jeff Goldblum (The Wizard), Jonathan Bailey (Prince Fiyero), Michelle Yeoh (Madame Morrible)

Who directed it? Jon M.Chu was responsible for bringing the wonderful world of Shiz University, and all Ozians to life. No stranger to directing big song and dance numbers he’d previously directed the film adaptation of the musical In the Heights, as well as the dance film Step Up 2: The Streets.

What do we say? Wicked is a fantastic musical, with spectacular production numbers and toe-tapping tunes, but despite its fantastical setting, it’s also a great film about starting out at a new school and not judging people on first appearances. Part two, Wicked: For Good, is set for release in November 2025.

The Breakfast Club (1985) - 15

From end of term proms, to Friday nights under the sports field lights, just because a film is set at a school doesn't mean the audience is going to have to spend the whole time watching an actual class unfold. There are many other elements to school life that often take focus, be they the result of good or bad behaviour, as The Breakfast Club shows.

What’s the plot? Set during one long Saturday in detention the film features a group of teens who embody all the expected high-school personas; the athlete, the princess, the shy and lonesome student, the brain and the troublemaker. As the young detainees get to know each other, they realise they are much more than the labels the adult world has given them. John Hughes’ marvellous screenplay avoids the kind of high-jinks that you might expect in favour for long (and yes, sometimes, exaggerated) conversations.

Who’s in the cast? Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson

Who directed it? John Hughes. During the 1980s Hughes’ name was attached to many hit movies about the lives of young people. In films such as Sixteen Candles and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, this director somehow seemed to be able to connect and empathise with teenagers’ experiences in a way no director had before. And for many, The Breakfast Club is his masterpiece.

What do we say? The movie would make huge stars of its young cast. Add a killer period soundtrack, which made Simple Minds’ Don’t You (Forget About Me) an anthem for a generation, and you have one of the greatest, truest, school movies ever made. In today's world full of social media and the expectations of others online, The Breakfast Club's message of being true to yourself inside and out of school is perhaps as relevant now as it was back in 1985.

Stand And Deliver (1988) - PG

Movies about inspirational teachers are regularly occurring box-office favourites. From Goodbye Mr Chips, released in 1939, to The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), Dead Poets Society (1989) and Mr Holland’s Opus (1995). But this film, about a teacher in an inner city school stands tall above them all.

What’s the plot? Based on a true story, the film follows inner-city maths teacher Jamie Escalante who is tasked with getting a group of unpromising students through their calculus exam. “There will be no free rides, no excuses. You already have two strikes against you, your name and your complexion. Because of those two strikes, there are some people in this world who will assume that you know less than you do,” he tells his bored class. Will they pass the test? No spoilers here, you’ll need to take a watch!

Who’s in the cast? Edward James Olmos plays the part of teacher Jamie Escalante. The actor received an Oscar nomination for his fantastic portrayal. Olmos also starred in Blade Runner, it’s sequel Blade Runner 2049, and TV series Battlestar Galactica. The school secretary is played by Estelle Harris, whose voice you’ll recognise as Mrs Potato Head from the Toy Story franchise. A young Andy Garcia also stars.

Who directed it? Ramón Menéndez - this was the Cuban native’s writing and directing debut. He and co-writer Tom Musca (who was also the film’s producer) secured the film rights to Jaime Escalante’s story for just one dollar.

What do we say?The idea of a teacher changing the lives of their pupils is endlessly appealing to audiences. Perhaps it’s because, if we’re lucky, we have, or can remember, a teacher who really made a difference in our lives. Jamie Escalante definitely fits that bill. This film does an excellent job at shining a light on an inspirational figure, and showing that when it comes to school work and overcoming challenges dedication is definitely a two way street.

School Of Rock (2003) - 12A

We’ve had math lessons, and wizardry, now music class gets its time to shine. Are you ready to rock?!

What’s the plot? Out-of-work rock guitarist Dewey Finn poses as a substitute music teacher and inspires his pupils with his unconventional teaching methods. The bow-tie sporting slacker secretly turns his class into a rock band, in the hope they can win an upcoming Battle of the Bands competition, with the sole intent of using the winnings to pay his rent. However, slowly he becomes more invested in the lives and futures of his uptight pupils and determines to free their creative impulses via the medium of heavy rock music.

Who’s in the cast? Jack Black is the frontman in this film, playing the lead role of the charismatic Dewey Finn. Meanwhile Joan Cusack provides magnificently funny support as the school principal.

Who directed it? As the director, Richard Linklater extracts maximum comedic value out of Jack Black, and of course his class full of students. So much so that Black received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance. Linklater once said that when he first approached the movie “it didn’t feel like a hit” - how wrong he would be!

What do we say? This is a raucous, hugely funny and finally inspirational school-based comedy. It’s a rare school movie that remains sharp and funny to the very end without ever turning into what some people might call ‘icky sentimentality.’ It's also a great lesson in showing us all that achievement can mean different things to different people, and that any and all are worthy of celebrating. Rock on!!

Mean Girls (2004) - 12A

When it comes to razor-sharp movies about school hierarchies, it’s really a toss-up between Clueless (released in 1995), which starred Alicia Silverstone or Mean Girls, which was released nine years later.

What’s the plot? Cady Heron, a previously home-schooled kid, moves back to the US from Africa and is enrolled at the swanky North Shore High School. Here the roost is ruled by ‘The Plastics’ an elite clique who delight in making everyone else’s lives miserable. Though she’s admitted into their elevated ranks, Cady pals up with fellow social misfits Janis and Damian who decide to use the opportunity to sabotage the all-powerful plastics.

Who’s in the cast? Lindsay Lohan, who you might know from Freaky Friday, and it’s recently released sequel, plays the role of Cady, whilst Rachel McAdams heads up The Plastics as queen bee Regina George. Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia! Les Misérables, Pan) stars as the somewhat ditzy Plastics member, Karen. Lizzy Caplan and Daniel Franzese play Cady’s cohorts Janis and Damian.

Who directed it? This was director Mark S. Waters’ second time working with Lindsay Lohan, having directed Freaky Friday a year earlier. His crisp direction here really brings Saturday Night Live legend Tina Fey’s stiletto-sharp screenplay to life. But Mean Girls is not this director’s only school based movie; in 2014 he called the shots for comedy horror The Vampire Academy.

What do we say? Just like Clueless, this movie is a wonderful dissection of American High school cliques, it’s endlessly quotable, and very, very funny. But where Clueless is sweet and funny, Mean Girls really has some sharp teeth, and sharp claws! No wonder it's more recently been turned into a musical - which just like the film teaches us all a thing or two about friendship and being true to ourselves.

Published in August 2025