Educating Greater Manchester is the latest edition of the Channel 4 series that chronicles the daily activities on schools across the country, and this year Harrop Fold school in Little Hulton is at the centre of the show.
The school which was once said to be ‘the worst in the country’ has turned things around for itself with Headmaster Drew Povey, who is a leadership education and performance consultant, at the helm.
The fly-on-the-wall documentary has already aired three episodes and we have seen the school dealing with the terrorist attack in the Manchester Arena, a pupil sitting her GCSEs seven months pregnant, and maths turn into a dance class.
Harrop Fold’s catchment area takes in one of the poorest council estates in Britain and not only has to get their pupils through exams but also has to deal with the inner city poverty; giving out school shoes and free school meals.
Daily life at the school seems like a roller coaster for those watching, but Headmaster Povey and the teachers are constantly trying to reign in the drama.
Pupils were branded by Ofsted inspectors in 2004 as ‘intimidating, rowdy and unruly’ while two police officers were always present on school grounds, but now it seems that Harrop Fold has had a transformation as its latest Ofsted report said it was ‘good with outstanding features.’
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For the last 7 years, Mr. Povey has been head at Harrop Fold and, making a homely atmosphere, his two brothers also work at the school; Ross is a deputy and Ben is part of the behavioural team.
The first episode saw a group of boys outlining some crude words and pictures on a dirty white van outside the school, and Mr Povey admitting that when he was that age he may have done something similar.
However, he pulls the boys aside for a good old fashioned telling off as Mr Povey knows he needs to be strict but fair as he punishes the boys by making them wash the van
Mr Povey radiates confidence and kindness as he says he could change someone’s life if he does his job properly.
Watch Educating Greater Manchester at 9pm on Channel 4 every Thursday.
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