The Best Netflix Shows and Films to Use in the Secondary Classroom

Netflix in the classroom doesn’t have to mean “movie day.” With the right framing, films and series become texts in their own right. Packed with symbolism, character arcs, and moral dilemmas that connect straight back to literature.

Here’s a curated list of Netflix shows and films that work brilliantly in secondary English. Each one comes with classroom ideas, literary pairings, and cross-curricular links, so you can bring the stories students already know into dialogue with the ones we teach.

Adolescence (Limited Series – Ages 16+)

Adolescence is intense, gritty, and unflinchingly relevant. It follows a 13-year-old boy drawn into online misogyny and accused of killing a classmate. Filmed in a one-shot style, it’s tense, immersive, and deliberately uncomfortable to watch.

Classroom Ideas:
◆ Pair with Romeo and Juliet for impulsivity and the dangers of unchecked emotion, or Macbeth for how toxic influences can warp a young mind.
◆ Compare with Ray Bradbury’s The Veldt — both show how media and environment can shape destructive behaviour in youth.
◆ Analyse the one-shot filming style — how does real-time pacing mirror a stage play and increase intensity?
◆ Explore unreliable narration: retell events from another character’s point of view to highlight perspective.
◆ PSHE crossover: cyberbullying, toxic masculinity, mental health, and how adults miss red flags until it’s too late.

See my full blog post on Adolescence for a deeper dive into teaching applications.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Film – Ages 12+)

Based on William Kamkwamba’s memoir, this film tells the true story of a Malawian boy who refuses to give up when famine strikes his village. Denied access to school, William teaches himself from a library book and builds a windmill out of scrap metal to pump water and save the crops. Both the memoir and the Netflix adaptation capture themes of resilience, ingenuity, and the life-changing power of education.

Classroom Ideas:
◆ Pair the film with the memoir itself, or with other nonfiction accounts like I Am Malala — both highlight young people transforming their communities through knowledge.
◆ Compare William’s real-life hero’s journey with fictional arcs (e.g. The Odyssey or even dystopian protagonists like Katniss in The Hunger Games). Students can chart the narrative structure across memoir and film.
◆ Creative writing: journal entries from William’s perspective at key moments (first picking up the textbook, testing the windmill, facing community doubt).
◆ Nonfiction writing: students could write an article or speech on “The Power of Education” inspired by William’s story.
◆ Cross-curricular:
– Science: renewable energy, basic engineering principles.
– Geography: drought, climate change, and their human impact.
– Citizenship/PSHE: perseverance, global inequality, problem-solving.

Black Mirror (Series – Ages 15+)

Black Mirror is a dystopian anthology exploring the darker sides of technology, from surveillance culture to artificial intelligence. Each episode works like a modern cautionary tale — compact, unsettling, and disturbingly close to our own reality. “Nosedive” — where every social interaction is rated — is a classroom favourite, but other episodes like “Fifteen Million Merits” or “San Junipero” also open doors to rich discussion.

Classroom Ideas:
◆ Compare “Nosedive” with Orwell’s 1984: Big Brother enforces control through surveillance, while Nosedive relies on peer-enforced ratings. Both show how systems erode individuality and authentic voice.
◆ Pair “Fifteen Million Merits” with Ray Bradbury’s The Veldt or Fahrenheit 451 to explore how entertainment and consumerism numb resistance.
◆ Discuss utopia vs. dystopia: “San Junipero” offers a rare hopeful twist — what makes it different, and why does that matter?
◆ Media literacy: treat an episode like a short story, analysing exposition, climax, twist, and moral.
◆ Creative writing: pitch or storyboard a new Black Mirror episode. What current trend could spiral into dystopia? How would you end it — with despair, or a glimmer of hope?
◆ PSHE/SEL crossover: debates on identity, privacy, and ethics in a digital age.

I’ve written a full post on why Ray Bradbury is the original Black Mirror. For classroom-ready activities, my Ray Bradbury Mega Bundle includes resources for 10 of his best stories.

Heartstopper (Series – Ages 12+)

Gentle, uplifting, and visually creative, Heartstopper adapts Alice Oseman’s graphic novels into a story about two boys — Charlie and Nick — navigating friendship, identity, and first love. What makes the series stand out is its tone: it celebrates individuality and inclusion rather than focusing on trauma. With comic-style animations woven into the screen (falling leaves, sparks of light), the show brings Oseman’s art alive in a way that feels fresh and accessible for teens.

Classroom Ideas:
◆ Pair with YA texts or poems about identity, belonging, or love (e.g. Dean Atta’s The Black Flamingo or Carol Ann Duffy’s love poems).
◆ Compare a scene in the series with the same moment in the graphic novel. How do dialogue, visuals, and tone shift between mediums? What choices make the adaptation feel authentic?
◆ Journal prompts: “What makes a friendship supportive?” or “When does friendship start to become something more?”
◆ Discuss the role of representation — why does it matter for students to see LGBTQ+ stories handled with care and positivity?
◆ PSHE crossover: inclusion, kindness, identity, and allyship.

All Quiet on the Western Front (Film – Ages 16+)

This Oscar-winning German adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s novel is harrowing but powerful. Following Paul Bäumer and his classmates as they enlist with youthful enthusiasm only to be broken by trench warfare, it captures the futility of war with visceral cinematography, sound design, and unflinching realism. While faithful to the novel’s anti-war message, the film adds a parallel armistice subplot, sharpening its political edge and highlighting how ordinary soldiers suffered while leaders bargained.

Classroom Ideas:
◆ Pair with WWI poetry — Dulce et Decorum Est, Futility, or Anthem for Doomed Youth — to compare how film and poetry differently convey the waste of young lives.
◆ Explore adaptation choices: compare a passage from Remarque’s novel with its on-screen rendering. What details are heightened or omitted? What effect does this have on tone?
◆ Discuss the impact of the added armistice subplot. Does it strengthen the anti-war message or shift focus away from the soldiers’ experience?
◆ Analyse cinematography: how do sound, mud, and silence communicate horror more viscerally than words?
◆ Cross-curricular links:
– History: WWI context, trench warfare, Treaty of Versailles.
– Citizenship/PSHE: anti-war movements, propaganda, and the moral duty of remembrance.
◆ Creative writing: a diary entry from a soldier on the front, contrasting “official” patriotic rhetoric with lived experience.

Moxie (Film – Ages 12+)

Directed by Amy Poehler and based on Jennifer Mathieu’s novel, Moxie follows Vivian, a quiet teen who anonymously launches a feminist zine to call out sexism and harassment at her school. What begins as a few photocopied pages becomes a movement, sparking conversations about voice, allyship, and how students can challenge toxic culture. It’s sharp, funny, and ultimately hopeful — student voice at its best.

Classroom Ideas:
◆ Pair with protest poetry or rebellion texts — from An Inspector Calls (responsibility and collective action) to feminist poems like Carol Ann Duffy’s Standing Female Nude or Maya Angelou’s Still I Rise.
◆ Creative project: have students design their own activist zine or manifesto about an issue they care about — blending persuasive writing, design, and personal conviction.
◆ Analyse rhetorical devices in Vivian’s articles and voiceovers. How does she use passion, anecdote, and repetition to rally her peers?
◆ Media studies crossover: compare the DIY zine format to today’s activism on TikTok/Instagram. How does medium shape message?
◆ PSHE links: discussions on consent, equality, allyship, and the importance of speaking up.

The Society (Series – Ages 15+)

When a busload of teens return from a field trip to find their parents gone and their town mysteriously cut off from the outside world, they’re forced to build a society from scratch. Part dystopian mystery, part morality tale, The Society is essentially Lord of the Flies transposed into modern suburbia — smartphones, secrets, and all.

Classroom Ideas:
◆ Pair directly with Lord of the Flies — chart the parallels in themes of power, chaos, and fragile civilisation.
◆ Debate dilemmas: Should food be rationed? How should justice be handled without adults? Who has the right to lead? (Turn these into class debates or mock council meetings.)
◆ Creative writing: students draft a “town charter” or persuasive speech from the perspective of one of the teens — enforcing rules, calling for rebellion, or arguing for compromise.
◆ Analyse leadership styles: which characters resemble Jack, Ralph, or Piggy? How do gender dynamics complicate power?
◆ Sociology crossover: governance, social contracts, and the fragile balance between order and freedom.

Never Have I Ever (Series – Ages 13+)

Funny, chaotic, and heartfelt, Never Have I Ever follows Devi, an Indian-American teen navigating high school after the sudden loss of her father. Between crushes, academic pressure, cultural expectations, and grief, Devi’s story blends laugh-out-loud moments with raw honesty. Narrated — unexpectedly — by tennis legend John McEnroe, the series plays with voice and perspective while exploring themes of identity, healing, and belonging.

Classroom Ideas:
◆ Pair with texts exploring narration and voice — compare Devi’s irreverent John McEnroe voiceover with literary narrators like Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye or Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. How does narration shape tone?
◆ Creative writing: students craft a short personal essay or memoir-style piece about a family, cultural, or community experience, experimenting with humour and honesty like Devi’s narration.
◆ Analyse representation: how does the series depict intercultural identity, generational conflict, and friendship? Why does diverse representation matter in teen stories?
◆ Explore themes of grief and healing — compare Devi’s arc to poetry such as Auden’s Funeral Blues or novels dealing with loss.
◆ PSHE crossover: mental health, grief, cultural belonging, and the importance of supportive relationships.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (Film – Ages 13+)

This charming YA rom-com, adapted from Jenny Han’s bestselling novel, begins when Lara Jean’s secret love letters are accidentally mailed to all her former crushes. What follows is a story about family, first love, and the courage it takes to be honest about your feelings. Light-hearted and funny but rooted in real emotion, it’s a modern take on the classic coming-of-age romance.

Classroom Ideas:
◆ Pair with epistolary texts — from Dracula to The Color Purple — to explore how letter-writing shapes narrative voice and intimacy.
◆ Creative writing: have students draft an unsent letter in character voice, experimenting with tone, honesty, and hidden emotion.
◆ Compare novel and film adaptation — what changes in structure or tone matter most, and why? How do the visual elements of the film (music, colour palette, casting) shift the story?
◆ Analyse representation: how does Lara Jean’s identity as a Korean-American teen add depth to the narrative, and why is that important in YA fiction?
◆ PSHE/SEL crossover: honesty, relationships, self-confidence, and the courage to be vulnerable.

Atypical (Series – Ages 14+)

Atypical is a warm, thoughtful series about Sam, a teen on the autism spectrum, as he navigates school, friendships, dating, and family life while striving for independence. The show balances humour with heart, offering a perspective that’s both specific and universal — Sam’s quirks and challenges highlight the beauty and difficulty of growing up while inviting viewers to see the world through a different lens.

Classroom Ideas:
◆ Pair with Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time to explore narrative voice and representation of neurodiverse characters.
◆ Analyse perspective: how do voiceovers, visuals, and sound design shape Sam’s world and show his sensory experiences? Compare these techniques to first-person narration in literature.
◆ Creative writing: ask students to narrate a moment from the perspective of someone who sees the world differently, experimenting with sensory details, literal interpretations, or unusual metaphors.
◆ Discussion: How does Atypical portray family dynamics, sibling relationships, and friendship alongside Sam’s journey?
◆ PSHE crossover: neurodiversity, empathy, inclusion, and how schools can better support students with different needs.

Anne with an E (Series – Ages 11–14)

This fresh Netflix adaptation of Anne of Green Gables keeps the heart of L.M. Montgomery’s classic — Anne’s wit, imagination, and search for belonging — but boldly layers in modern themes of prejudice, feminism, and resilience. By weaving issues like racism, gender roles, and LGBTQ+ identity into a Victorian setting, the series opens space for both historical reflection and contemporary relevance.

Classroom Ideas:
◆ Pair with passages from the original novel to explore Anne’s characterisation and voice. How does the show expand or reinterpret her experiences?
◆ Discuss adaptation choices: why do the writers add storylines about racism, sexism, and homophobia? What effect does this have on a modern audience?
◆ Creative writing: diary entries in Anne’s voice, capturing her distinctive imagination and emotional intensity.
◆ Compare Anne’s journey to other coming-of-age heroines (e.g. Jane Eyre, Jo March) to explore continuity in female literary voices.
◆ PSHE crossover: prejudice, identity, resilience, and the value of imagination in overcoming hardship.

The Haunting of Hill House (Series – Ages 15+)

This Gothic Netflix adaptation reimagines Shirley Jackson’s classic novel, blending supernatural horror with family trauma. The Crain family’s story unfolds across two timelines, where childhood encounters with Hill House reverberate into their fractured adult lives. It’s as much about grief, memory, and family as it is about ghosts — making it a layered text for exploring Gothic conventions.

Classroom Ideas:
◆ Pair with Gothic short stories such as Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher or Jackson’s The Lottery to compare atmosphere, tension, and moral unease.
◆ Analyse symbolism: the house as a living entity, a repository of memory, grief, and fear. How does this echo the “haunted” settings in classic Gothic fiction?
◆ Creative writing: describe a haunted house focusing on atmosphere — using sensory details and symbolic objects to create unease.
◆ Media crossover: chart Gothic conventions across text and screen. How do techniques differ — e.g. unreliable narration in prose vs. cinematography, sound, and flashbacks on screen?
◆ SEL/PSHE link: grief, trauma, and family dynamics — how horror can reflect real emotional struggles.

The Haunting of Bly Manor (Series – Ages 15+)

Inspired by Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw, Bly Manor adapts and expands the novella into a layered Gothic narrative about love, loss, and the weight of memory. With its blend of ghost stories, shifting timelines, and unreliable narration, the series asks whether the true haunting lies in the supernatural or in the grief and trauma of its characters.

Classroom Ideas:
◆ Pair directly with The Turn of the Screw to explore how adaptation modernises and reframes the Gothic. Which elements are faithful, and which are transformed?
◆ Compare unreliable narrators in text and on screen — how does each medium create ambiguity and force the audience to question what’s “real”?
◆ Debate: do the ghosts exist, or are they trauma projections? Have students gather textual/visual evidence to support both interpretations.
◆ Creative writing: write a scene where a character experiences something that may or may not be supernatural, leaving the reader in uncertainty.
◆ SEL crossover: grief, love, and family as central haunting forces — how loss shapes memory and perception.

Final Thoughts

Netflix can be more than background noise — it can be a teaching tool. With careful curation, these shows and films open doors to literature, media analysis, and social-emotional learning. They remind students that stories are everywhere: in novels, in classrooms, and yes, in the shows they binge on weekends.

Whether it’s Gothic chills in Hill House, dystopian warnings in Black Mirror, or activism in Moxie, each title here has the potential to deepen discussion, spark creativity, and connect timeless themes to the world students live in today.