'The Kids Were Out Of Control'

Cameras visit the Salford school once branded the worst in the country, but now a model for others

- Sean Marland

In 2005, when headteacher Drew Povey joined Harrop Fold School, it didn’t seem like the most sensible decision he’d ever made.

At the time, the Salford school was £3million in the red and branded the worst in the country. Student behaviour was so bad that an on-site police officer patrolled the corridors.

‘No one cared what was going on and the kids were completely out of control,’ says Drew. ‘It was tragic. My brother, Ross, was teaching here before me and I could barely believe the stories he told me until I saw it first hand.’

Fresh from winning a national teaching award, Drew decided to tackle the problems head on, and now there’s a chance to judge how successful he’s been when the school opens its doors to Channel 4 cameras for new eight-part series Educating Greater Manchester.