Plumpton High Babies

2003, Total Running Time 104 Minutes (4 x 26 Minutes)

Plumpton High, in Sydney's outer western suburbs, is one of the few schools in Australia with a program that supports schoolgirl mothers completing their education. This four-part series follows a year in the lives of some of these young women as they hurtle from girlhood to motherhood. None of it is easy - the decision to give birth, the conflicts with family and boyfriends, the new responsibilities. The school offers them health and welfare support and constant encouragement, but the outcome depends on the girls.

EPISODES

Girls Most Likely, The Rebecca Cowin is the co-ordinator of Plumpton High's young mothers program, which means she's teacher, social worker, counsellor, driver and sister to the girls. She's been busy finding somewhere for Crystal and her toddler to live. After a strong first year on the program, Crystal is finding it tough. She has little support. Her boyfriend was not even 15 when she had their baby. With a baby on the way, Simone sets up house in a caravan with her boyfriend Marc. But after the birth, things don't go so smoothly and this star student risks failing Year 11.

Decisions, Decisions School principal Glenn Sargeant is determined to give the girls at Plumpton High a chance at education and a hopeful future but it's not going to be easy keeping the 16-year-old Owen twins at school. Krystle is considering an abortion. Her sister Jasmine already has an eight-month-old son and has announced she's moving out of home with her boyfriend Dale. The pair break-up, reunite, get engaged and move in to Dale's family home...much to his parents' surprise!

Nowhere Else To Go Other schools refuse to accept pregnant students but at Plumpton High it's nothing out of the ordinary. Jacinta is one of the new girls. She used to be an A-grade student but her self-esteem is appallingly low. She's also feeling really ill. Morning sickness is preventing her from going to school and she's starting to think that something is wrong. Baby was just a few months pregnant when she arrived at Plumpton. At 15, she's the youngest on the program. Now on maternity leave, she's thinking of quitting school and continuing via correspondence. Program co-ordinator Rebecca Cowin thinks the isolation would be detrimental; her challenge is to get Baby interested in school again.

Baby’s Not a Doll, A Natacha, Kirsty and Jessica are pregnant. They have all made the decision to return to school and try to turn their lives around. Jessica was once one of Plumpton's most troublesome students. Now she says she's had a change of heart and principal Glenn Sargeant is willing to take her back. Kirsty says she wants to be a lawyer, but even getting to class seems to be a bit much sometimes. Having a boyfriend who wants her to stay home with their baby doesn't help the situation. Natacha has great hopes for the future and wants to make the most of her opportunities for the sake of her child - that's if family troubles don't force her to leave.

A Film Australia National Interest Program in association with 220 Productions. Produced with the assistance of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. © 2011 National Film and Sound Archive of Australia

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