How the Other Half Learns - Exchanging Schools in England, Wednesday May 9
24 Apr five's blog | Email this page | 4124 reads
how the other half learns (2/3)
20.00–21.00
Continuing tonight on Five is the documentary series in which pupils from vastly different backgrounds embark on a unique school exchange. Three GCSE students from an inner-city comprehensive and three from a privileged independent school visit each other for two weeks, sampling a new culture and way of life. In this edition, Moeed, Michelle and Mustafa from the North London comprehensive, Preston Manor High School, complete their two weeks at Wells Cathedral School, before returning with their Wells exchange partners Jeremy, Tom and Libby, nervously in tow.
Monday at Wells Cathedral School brings a 7.30am start for Mustafa, who has found the early mornings at the boarding school tiring. Meanwhile, at the Somerset boarding house, Moeed and exchange partner Tom have a different way of waking up – playing computer games – which causes them to be late for compulsory registration. Moeed admits he finds the schedule quite tough. His tardiness earns him litter-picking duties as punishment from his House Master, Mr Gowan, who desperately wants to see an improvement in Moeed’s attitude.
After school hours, the differences between the exchange students become clear. While Libby relaxes in the girls’ boarding house, Michelle is in her study, feeling gloomy after receiving poor marks on her chemistry homework. Moeed visits Tom’s house for the first time and is dumbstruck by its size, noting that the closest thing he has seen to it before is Buckingham Palace. The school outing to Bristol later that night gives Michelle a rare opportunity to let her hair down. “It’s good to be away from work”, she admits, while partner Libby enjoys the chance to get to know Michelle better.
Wednesday sees a whole afternoon of extracurricular activities for all the students. Michelle, knowing that Wells Cathedral School is renowned for its excellence in music, follows this pursuit. She is shocked and surprised to discover that, despite being one of the top musicians in her year at Preston Manor, she is near the bottom of the ability level at Wells. Keen hockey player Mustafa, who has settled in comfortably at Wells, joins the school Under-15 team for an away match against King’s School, Bruton, at which he vows to be “as aggressive as possible, without breaking the rules”.
Moeed is not as happy. He is asked to speak to head teacher Mrs Cairncross, who gives him an extra assignment to complete – a presentation about Wells Cathedral School. Moeed has a long think and realises that he needs to take more responsibility for his studies. He is ready for a change and proves his renewed commitment in Mr Gowan’s history class later in the day, and in his presentation at the end of the week. Moeed’s own head teacher, who arrives unexpectedly, commends the presentation as a sophisticated and well-delivered speech. She praises all three students for thriving in an environment that is in some ways more alien to them than a foreign country. Mrs Cairncross agrees, hoping that her students fare as well at Preston Manor.
As Michelle, Moeed and Mustafa end their feepaying experience, their partners Libby, Tom and Jeremy nervously make the four-hour car journey to Wembley. Worries are soon allayed when a welcome committee greets all three students who quickly settle in at their new homes. All they have to do now is wait for tomorrow, when they will begin attending classes.
In one of the most culturally diverse districts of London, Preston Manor serves 1,400 students; three times the amount at Wells in only half the space. Ofsted deemed it “outstanding” in its reports, leading it to become one of the most oversubscribed schools in the country. How will the three Wells students cope with their first lessons at Preston Manor? Will their assumptions about state schools and their pupils be proven or shown to be misfounded?
I know it has been a long time since I last commented, but i'd like to take back what I wrote, the first comment on this messageboard.
It was an unnecessary.
Hope ur all good.
Moeed
22 Feb 08 at 9:46 pm
You realise jezz is gay don't you?!
20 Feb 08 at 11:29 am
I would just like to point out that Kings Bruton won that hockey game =]
12 Jul 07 at 11:28 pm
in the nicest way possible my younga
i have love for everyone esp u Mr Mooed you ironing board
why how did you think i meant it ?
15 Jun 07 at 8:44 pm
wel 'anon' how am i annoying you?
an i am a girl you donut
15 Jun 07 at 8:42 pm
heya every1 jst wanted 2 let ya all no dat moeed n mustafa rocked dat shw on....u lotz were sikkkkkk......u really had every1 at ma skl chttin bout u!
:D
8 Jun 07 at 7:09 pm
Hey ppl
I just happened to notice that Jezz hasn't commented for a while - any reason? How u Mustafa? U and I had a lil conversation a couple of pages back, then I lost my internet connection for like, 2 weeks and the comments have al piled up now!
Love to u all - get Jezz back on here!
Peace
1 Jun 07 at 1:53 pm
The future looks bad
..
24 May 07 at 7:00 pm
jo;oj;oik;io
22 May 07 at 4:26 pm
the only question i have is how much was u paid? i swear u guys seem to be eating in the show constantly what u guys predicted 4 gcses? whats the other oliva or something the really clever one
21 May 07 at 9:08 pm
errr...wats gone wrong wiv this website?? .. it woz normal until last nite... :| lol
20 May 07 at 7:26 pm
has sumting gon rong wit the blog thingy cos all mi messages have gone...this is really weird.
and jezz...MY SISTER FANCIES YOU! ring a bell?
mustafa...ur really 'wise' anf quite funny really
moeed...wat can i sai...ur just a joker!
hehe lol ;P
20 May 07 at 6:23 pm
hu is this Kc cos he/she is really startin to bug me!
and state skools are alright...just not the scary ones f.y.i. i go to a state skool in surrey...
20 May 07 at 6:11 pm
hey....program was awsum! so want to go to wells now!! but i really jst dropped by to c if anyone knows where libby got he green hoddy from? i luv it so much!! haha!
love love
x x x
20 May 07 at 5:10 pm
Wtf u mean by that?
20 May 07 at 4:05 pm
hahahh
20 May 07 at 12:53 am
19 May 07 at 7:11 pm
Okay thankyou for replying. I shall give it to you another time. Bye .
19 May 07 at 7:10 pm
Sup,
how u doin, yh i got msn but i dont really wanna publish it on the net if u know wat i mean, if u got myspace (or dont mind postin ur addy here) jus message ur address to me (or on the site) and ill add u
take it easy
Peace
19 May 07 at 6:04 pm
Hello mustafa what is your msn...do you mind if i add you?
Lucy
19 May 07 at 3:16 pm
Sup,
i posted dis up b4 but da site was moderating the comments or sumthing,
www.myspace.com/mustafug - myspace
http://mustafug.hi5.com - hi5
Enjoy, hahahahah
Peace
18 May 07 at 10:34 pm
oh and Mooed your a motherfoking GOON brav !
18 May 07 at 8:55 pm
Mustafa you better reply to me or i will be cutting of your manbits and preventing you from having sexual intercourse with 'sharon'
I mean this in the nicest way possible Mr Bimbo
Kc
18 May 07 at 8:53 pm
Oh i see how it is Mr Mustafa .. yh mnz wont reply 2 me but will reply 2 any an evry1 else an my email was sent on d sme day as d uda breh..ur dred.. i only wna know if uve got MYSPACE Toodles Manwhore
18 May 07 at 8:50 pm
iv been to both state and private...
im at a private now and wouldnt EVER want to go back to state...i hate chavs.
and private schools are better, the class dont throw things at each other, they actually sit and do the lesson.
not all the people at states are chavs by the way.
17 May 07 at 8:13 pm
State schools admittedly have their problems, but it's what you put into to it. So if you work hard then you will do well. My old school sydenham girls, (south east london) back in the day (like 4 years ago)was ok but there were lots of fights and chances to get in with wrong crowd, this was there too, but most people grew out of being devient and either (it was a girls school) got pregnant or fixed up and went to collge and uni or got themselves a job. I meet people now who use to be in 'gangs' and they are like 'I've growm up now'.
The only privilege you get in private schools is the reputation from that school. The level of education is not that much different except in music and sport as often inner city schools do not have as much funding for this.
The social skills you learn in state skills are important for our ever growing multicultural country and when you've been in such a sheltered boarding school then decide to come and work in london or somewhere else you have a lot of learning to do. You can achive in state schools a number of my school mates went to oxford and smilar unis. If your parents give you support and you demand it from your school then you wll acive its as smiple as that.
I know loads of students who do outside mentoring and they are from both private and state schools. Its up to the individual.
Although in a inner state school you get to stand up for yourself (probably the same every where) but in these schools often mummy or daddy doesnt pick you up after school so you gota go home by yourself.......
17 May 07 at 3:35 pm
Sup,
Preston Manor is probably one of the most culturally diverse schools in the whole of England. Nearly all of the children going to the school pick up colloquial sayings (or as i like to call it slangluistics (slang + linguistics)) along the way. It doesnt mean that every child is from the "hood" or from the "ghetto" just becuase they use slang. This is sometimes the case as portrayed by the media but its a way people speak. I believe the way i speak (including my use of colloquial sayings) does not limit my ability of holding an intellectual conversation. The range of friends I have is wide and includes people from different backgrounds
I hope that answered your question.
Peace
16 May 07 at 11:46 pm
hey, is this programme on again, i miss the first two parts.
16 May 07 at 11:38 pm
Observation - The show was good but I have a couple of questions, please feel free to comment if you're from preston.
Mooed & Michelle's friends appear to be from a wide range of backgrounds, white/european, black, asian.
Mustafa seems to be surrounded by predominantly one background black, was this a channel five spin or was it real.
Even the language, mustafa you use alot of ghetto/street language, like its from the hood, particulary on this site. Is the school mainly black or again is this a channel five thing again.
Please explain.
16 May 07 at 11:25 pm
hi mustafa have you got myspace?
16 May 07 at 10:34 pm
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