BBC Children’s Productions can today announce a host of new commissions including a brand-new high school drama for BBC iPlayer.

Set in a West Midlands school, Phoenix Park (20x30’) will follow a diverse group of teens who are taking their first tentative steps back into mainstream education after being excluded for a variety of reasons. Exclusively launching on BBC iPlayer,Phoenix Park is the opportunity for these six misfit heroes to prove that sometimes being an outsider means belonging to the best club of all, as their unlikely friendships bond them and fuel their determination not to be side-lined.

Created by lead writers Matt Evans and Perrie Balthazar and developed by the Children’s Productions’ Scripted Development team led by Anna Davies, the series is aimed at the upper end of the children’s audience on BBC iPlayer. Each episode will follow one of the characters as the optimism and fun of teen life is set against the challenges they face in and out of the classroom. Genre Lead is Tali Walters.

Heading to CBeebies and BBC iPlayer is new laugh-out loud animation, Supertato (52x7’); co-produced with BBC Studios and Tencent Video. Based on the bestselling books by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet, the show will follow the adventures of Supertato, the world’s first potato superhero as he tackles the mischievous Evil Pea, in the supermarket aisles. Lead writers are Andrew Emerson and Doug Sinclair with Blue Zoo and Plug-In Media supplying animation. Dom Minns is the series director, Jo Jordan is series producer and Tony Reed is executive producer. Executive producers for BBC Studios are Elizabeth Randall and Henrietta Hurford-Jones.

Helen Bullough, Head of Children’s In-House Productions says: “Phoenix Park is an unmistakably contemporary take on the well-loved school drama and we’re thrilled to be able to bring to life these authentic, diverse characters in a series that will be relevant, frank and funny. And with Supertato, our younger viewers will delight in the hilarious comedy escapades of a cape-wearing flying potato and his merry band of vibrant vegetables. We’re thrilled to be working with all of our creative partners to deliver something for all ages across these new titles!”

Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning and Acquisitions, 0-6, Kate Morton says: “Our youngest viewers have so much to look forward to over the coming months. In particular, I can’t wait to see their reaction to the escapades of Supertato and his hilarious vegetable side-kicks!”

Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning and Acquisitions, 7-12, Sarah Muller says: “We have wanted to bring a high school drama to our older audience for a while and Phoenix Park with its realistic take on school life is sure to resonate with viewers. I’m looking forward to it hitting our screens along with a number of returning favourites for our 7+ audience.”

Teen thriller Get Even (8x22’) returns to BBC iPlayer in 2022 with a brand new cast and a fresh mystery as three new girls form secret society DGM (Don’t Get Mad, Get Even) to fight injustice and corruption at the outwardly perfect Bannerman School. Despite DGM’s efforts in series one, cruelty, fear and bullying still prevail under the school’s surface. Can the new DGM expose the anonymous prankster who’s causing fear and chaos in the corridors, whilst trying to focus on winning the Regional Cheer championship, and relationships at the same time? Adapted from the best-selling books by Gretchen McNeil, Get Even Series 2 is a co-production between BBC Children’s Productions and Boat Rocker. Lead writer is Holly Phillips and executive producers are Alison Davis (BBC) and Chapman Maddox (Boat Rocker).

Previously announced The Beaker Girls (5x22’) is set to air in later this year and fans of Tracy Beaker are set for even more adventures as The Beaker Girls is re-commissioned for series 2 (12x22’) in 2022. Lead writer is Emma Reeves, Producer and Director is John McKay and executive producer is Gina Cronk. And in celebration of Tracy Beaker creator, Jacqueline Wilson, the In-House team will be bringing the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s Jacqueline Wilson’s Wonderful World to BBC iPlayer this December as this multimedia orchestral adventure is filmed with a live audience at the Barbican on 23 October. This unique and special event will also be broadcast on Radio 3 and Radio 4.

Children’s Productions will also be co-producing two new specials with CBBC’s Newsround. Following the success of Let’s Talk About Periods, Lauren Layfield returns to present Let’s Talk About Sexism – A Newsround Special (1x30’). Here Lauren will explore what sexism means, meeting inspiring women leading their industries and hearing from kids keen to see equality between the sexes. Executive producers are Newsround Deputy Editors Kirsti Adair and Georgina Bowman and Mel Taylor produces and directs.

Newsround Presenter De-Graft Mensah will be journeying to Ghana as he discovers his heritage and roots in Britain and the Empire: My Story - A Newsround Special (1x30’). De-Graft will meet young British children to hear about their family history, before setting off to Ghana to learn about his own family and see the key places that were instrumental to the history of the British Empire. Along the way, he’ll discover parts of Ghana that are still affected by the Empire and speak to children there about their experiences. Newsround editor Lewis James is the executive producer and Nic Hall produces and directs.

Over on CBeebies, younger viewers and their families can look forward to the annual CBeebies Christmas Show. The festive spectacle, CBeebies Presents: The Night Before Christmas (1 x45’) is an adaption of the original poem, sprinkled with CBeebies magic as CBeebies presenters, stunning dances and music bring this festive tale to life. It’s set to air in December 2021 and executive producer is Vanessa Amberleigh.

Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning and Acquisitions, 0-6, Kate Morton says: “Our youngest viewers have so much to look forward to over the coming months. In particular, I can’t wait to see their reaction to the escapades of Supertato and his hilarious vegetable side-kicks!”

Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning and Acquisitions, 7-12, Sarah Muller says: “We have wanted to bring a high school drama to our older audience for a while and Phoenix Park with its realistic take on school life is sure to resonate with viewers. I’m looking forward to it hitting our screens along with a number of returning favourites for our 7+ audience.”

Other new commissions for BBC Children’s Productions include Lagging S2 (10 x 22’), Princess Mirror-Belle S2 (13 x 22’), The Dumping Ground S10 (24x30’) and The Dengineers S7 all for CBBC and BBC iPlayer. CBeebies is also set to welcome back Biff and Chip S2 (40 x 11’) and Molly and Mack S5 (20x15’).