But producer Tim Toni ditched the idea after discovering Bradfield Senior College in Sydney, which has a special education wing for embattled students wanting to complete Year 11, on their way to obtaining their Higher School Certificates.
Toni was given permission to film every day of the 2011 curriculum and the struggles and triumphs of 15 students, ranging from 16 to 20 years of age, in search of an education.
Among those appearing in the 10-episode series are Anthony, a third-time-lucky Year 11 student, 20-year-old Jess, who struggled with homelessness and low self-esteem, and Koray, who lives in a refuge and works nights to support his ambitions of education.
Eighteen-year-old Koray has not seen his mum since he was 12 and parted ways with his father when he was 15.
Toni said not all of the students come from broken homes and that's why Class Of... is a must watch experience for every parent who has ever thought of, or given up hope of, their child achieving a decent education.
"The original format was to find an underperforming school, set up a special class and bring in a team of super teachers," Toni said.
"We have in reality here a college that takes in people who have been underperforming, for whatever reason, and has great teachers. They have a relationship-based teaching process and it has great results.
"Anyone who watches the series from end-to-end will see magic happen."
The premiere episode of Class Of... is will placed, to screen immediately after Puberty Blues on Wednesday night.
Toni, a series producer on Big Brother and MasterChef, said he knew of Bradfield Senior College through a close friend but did not realise the extent of its work with those who have fallen between the cracks.
He said viewers would discover that the reasons behind each child's non-conformity with conventional schooling was different and this was very much a documentary about reality.
"The original format was an artificial environment with a cast of characters that are manipulated in some way to create an outcome," Toni said.
"We don't have any of that. This is a genuine school, a proper class of kids who attend the college.
"It's old-school fly-on-the-wall single camera documentary and there are no second takes."
In the final episode viewers will see either the genuine excitement or disappointment of troubled teenagers either making or failing their grades.
* Class Of... premieres on Network Ten tonight at 9.30pm
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