'We were constantly told we would not ACHIEVE'

Bestselling author Dreda Say Mitchell MBE says we should support all children to aim high

-  ZOE WEST

Growing up, we never had a camera, so school photos like this are precious. Unless you went to an event or a family party where someone happened to have one, you relied on these school mementos. I'm on the left in glasses, and then there's my brother, sister and eldest brother, who was about 10 at the time.

To working-class families like I grew up in, these photos were really important. For me, schools aren't just about where children are educated. They are integral to the community and provide avenues for children to visit places they would never have thought of.

I was fortunate where I lived. In the East End of London, we may not have been financially rich, but we were culturally so. A 10-minute walk from the Tower of London, we also had access to Petticoat Lane Market, historic Spitalfields and Brick Lane, and the school was next to Whitechapel Library. Whitechapel Gallery was also next door.