Educating Manchester continues on Channel 4 tonight with the latest series following life in a brand new school
It’s the fifth series of the ‘Educating…’ show which has won awards for past series including Educating Cardiff and Educating Yorkshire.
This time the show is in Manchester following life in Harrop Fold School.
The warm and honest series that explores what life’s like for the school students and teachers who attend the school in Salford, Greater Manchester.
It’s a school at the heart of a changing community, dealing every day with everything that that throws at them.
Headteacher Drew Povey is in charge and said: “The school has been on an incredible journey over recent years and we are extremely proud of our students, staff and local community. We have been given the opportunity to share our story through the Educating series, we believed it was something that we had to do.
“Team Harrop has been galvanised by its significant challenges but unswerving commitment to making the difference. We believe that something special is happening in Harrop Fold, Little Hulton and Salford and we have the highest aspirations for the future of all our students, staff and stakeholders.”
Tonight’s eighth and final episode focuses on exam season.
Headteacher Mr Drew Povey and his two deputies – Mrs Benigno, and Drew’s older brother Ross – have their work cut out as Year 11 mocks season begins at Harrop Fold School. There are tears, tantrums and refusals to even sit the exams, so it shouldn’t surprise the staff when the results are in and aren’t good.
With only a few months until the real GCSEs – in a climate of budget cuts, a new exam system, and with one of the toughest year groups they’ve ever had – Mr Povey is having sleepless nights and Mrs Benigno is doing all she can to turn things around.
The school throw everything they have at the problem, putting on extra lessons, calling a special parents’ evening and trying to inspire confidence in their students.
And all this while Mr Povey has to keep the rest of the school running. His background in behaviour management is put to the test when Year 8 Sean has a fight in the corridor.
Channel 4’s Head of Documentaries Nick Mirsky said: “Educating is an enormously important part of our documentary output at Channel. We have had a year without the series and are extremely excited to return with a new school in Salford.
“The new series promises to unearth more inspirational, entertaining and heart-rending stories from the hallways of Harrop Fold, with a few new elements thrown in to the mix.”
The new series will air for eight episodes.
Educating Manchester continues tonight, 9PM on Channel 4.
