ABOUT 300,000 young people leave secondary schools each year with less than five GCSEs.
Channel Four’s flagship documentary programme Dispatches investigates whether the size, design and organisation of comprehensive schools are key factors in how well or badly pupils fare.
James Wetz, presenter and author of the film, is a former headteacher at two large comprehensive schools.
He believes many children struggle in large comprehensives and are failed by the current education system . . . despite the best efforts of teachers.
Research carried out by Wetz uncovered the fact that many of the children who left school with no qualifications were doing well in their education at the age of 10 or 11 . . . the turning point came as they joined their secondary schools.
He asks if the giant new schools now being built all over Britain — in the biggest school building programme since Victorian times — are the best way to engage these disaffected pupils.
V DISPATCHES - THE CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND, Channel 4, Monday, 8pm.
