Take a look inside the abandoned school where Netflix films 'Sex Education'

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Talia LakritzSep 24, 2021, 01:23 IST
Take a look inside the abandoned school where Netflix films 'Sex Education'

Eric and Otis from "Sex Education" as pictured by Thomas Duke.Thomas Duke

  • The Netflix series "Sex Education" films on the now-closed campus of Caerleon, which was was once part of the University of South Wales.
  • The university closed Caerleon campus in 2016 as part of a merger, sparking student protests.
  • Insider spoke to two former students who say watching the show today is "very weird" but also "nostalgic."
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On the hit Netflix show "Sex Education," Otis Milburn and his friends (as well as his enemies) attend the fictional Moordale Secondary School.

On the hit Netflix show "Sex Education," Otis Milburn and his friends (as well as his enemies) attend the fictional Moordale Secondary School.
From left to right: Aimee Lou Wood as Aimee, Emma Mackey as Maeve, and Asa Butterfield as Otis in "Sex Education." Netflix

Fans of the show might not know that just a few years ago, Moordale was a beloved college campus in the Welsh countryside.

Caerleon (pronounced kuh-LEE-un) campus closed in 2016 as part of a merger and it was sold to a developer in Wales.

The University of South Wales declined to comment for this story, but Insider spoke to former Caerleon students, as well as a photographer who visited the set of "Sex Education," to delve into the history of the scenic building.

Caerleon campus was part of the University of South Wales located outside of Newport, Wales.

Caerleon campus was part of the University of South Wales located outside of Newport, Wales.
Caerleon Campus before it closed. Eluned Rose

Construction began in 1912, and the first students arrived in 1914.

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The campus spanned 32 acres, including lush greenery and a river running through the bottom.

The campus spanned 32 acres, including lush greenery and a river running through the bottom.
Rhiannon Davies graduated from the University of South Wales in 2016. Rhiannon Davies

"I think it was the main building on the campus that was a complete selling point — I don't know many universities that have such a gorgeous building," said Rhiannon Davies, a Caerleon graduate.

In 2016, the University of South Wales decided to close down Caerleon as part of a merger. The move was met with frustration and protest from the student body.

In 2016, the University of South Wales decided to close down Caerleon as part of a merger. The move was met with frustration and protest from the student body.
Storming a board meeting to protest the closure of Caerleon. Courtesy

A former student, who wished to remain anonymous due to ongoing involvement with the university, told Insider that she and other students were deeply upset by Caerleon's closure. Student protestors even stormed a board meeting to make their views heard.

"As you can tell from seeing 'Sex Education,' it is a really beautiful location," she said. "People really enjoyed living there. So there was a lot of frustration of having to be uprooted to move elsewhere, especially if you're halfway through a degree."

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The campus then sold for £6.2 million (around $8 million) to a developer.

The campus then sold for £6.2 million (around $8 million) to a developer.
The library at Caerleon right before it closed. Celia Rose Jackson

The developer, Redrow, plans to build 220 homes on the site.

Netflix began filming "Sex Education" at the old campus, reimagined as Moordale Secondary School, in 2018.

Netflix began filming "Sex Education" at the old campus, reimagined as Moordale Secondary School, in 2018.
Moordale High School, the fictional high school from Sex Education. Thomas Duke

The show blends American and British high school characteristics and is deliberately ambiguous about the time period it's set in.

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Photographer Thomas Duke visited the set of "Sex Education" in 2020 for his photo series placing movie and TV show scenes back into their real-life locations.

Photographer Thomas Duke visited the set of "Sex Education" in 2020 for his photo series placing movie and TV show scenes back into their real-life locations.
Eric and Otis from "Sex Education" as pictured by Thomas Duke. Thomas Duke

Duke partnered with Netflix to visit the set for his photo series, Stepping Through Film.

"It's all still there, and it's deserted," Duke said of the school. "It's like a set, but not real. I wish I could go back and just have a photo shoot. It's such an amazing setting."

The interior has been redesigned to look more like an American high school.

The interior has been redesigned to look more like an American high school.
The set of "Sex Education." Thomas Duke

The fluorescent lighting and mustard yellow lockers add character to the setting.

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No detail went unnoticed by the show's set designers.

No detail went unnoticed by the show's set designers.
A Moordale ski and snowboarding trip flyer. Thomas Duke

A flyer advertising a ski and snowboarding trip had a few signatures.

Watching "Sex Education" can be a strange experience for people who used to study at Caerleon.

Watching "Sex Education" can be a strange experience for people who used to study at Caerleon.
The fictional Moordale Secondary School. Thomas Duke

"Watching the program is very weird because you see places where you used to hang out and be with your friends and do work," said a former student.

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Davies said that seeing clips of the show brings back memories of her time on campus.

Davies said that seeing clips of the show brings back memories of her time on campus.
A doorway at what was formerly Caerleon. Thomas Duke

"I haven't got around to watching 'Sex Education' yet, however I have seen bits that have shown the uni and it brings back many memories of my time there," she said. "It's very nostalgic to me and my friends and makes me miss living there so much!"

While the campus' closure was a difficult loss for those who loved Caerleon, one former student is glad to see that the building is still brimming with creativity.

While the campus' closure was a difficult loss for those who loved Caerleon, one former student is glad to see that the building is still brimming with creativity.
Moordale Secondary School, formerly Caerleon. Thomas Duke

"The university itself was a really creative hub, so I find it very strange that this massive high-production Netflix program is being filmed where people were trying to make indie films and stupid little projects that don't have a fraction of the budget," she said. "At least it's still being used for something positive."

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Season three of "Sex Education" is now streaming on Netflix.

Season three of "Sex Education" is now streaming on Netflix.
A still from season three of the Netflix show "Sex Education" showing the old Caerleon campus. Netflix

The show continues to follow Otis, Eric, Maeve, and their schoolmates as they navigate adolescence, sex, relationships, and heartbreak.

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