Welcome to a carefully protected high-pressure world filled with tears and laughter, drama and politics. The documentary follows ten four-year-olds in a special play centre rigged to capture every whisper and whimper as they meet for the first time.

Throughout filming, the children are observed by their parents and two highly trained early years teachers. Leading scientists, Dr Paul Howard-Jones (Educational Neuroscientist, Bristol University) and Dr Sam Wass (Developmental Psychologist, MCR Cognition & Brain Unit, Cambridge) also monitor the children making insightful observations as they take their first tentative steps towards independence.