Once labelled ‘The worst school in the country’ Harrop Fold School has had it fair share of low moments. Whilst the school has undergone major improvement it still finds itself facing financial difficulty in the form of a £1.7million debt.

Playing host to the new series of Educating Greater Manchester, the show gives us an insight into the trials and tribulations of school life, from new pupils, pregnant teens and challenging behaviour, the series is an access all area to the life of teaching.

The popularity of this year’s series comes from watching the perseverance of the schools teachers, who do everything they can, to help their students get the most they can out of their education. Along the way we meet students like twelve year old Jack Stanley, who has become loved across the world after taking a Syrian refugee under his wing, after seeing him bullied in his first days at the school.

The school shows that no matter how difficult times get, schools are the heart of any community and teachers are the people who hold it all together. Which is why it is shocking to see how financially unstable the school is, with little guidance from the government to help the situation.

Head teacher Drew Povey took over the school 8 years ago with the hope to take the school out of its financial deficit and has said it is a major barrier to getting extra resources and better results.

“Our kids already get a fantastic deal. I wouldn’t want anyone to think otherwise.

“But the fact is we are under-funded, under-resourced and unable to do the things we really want to achieve at the school.

“We are really proud of how far we have come, but imagine what we could do if we had more money. The debt has to go” he added.

Without the debt, the school claims it could offer:

• Smaller class sizes
• More teachers
• More teaching assistants to support vulnerable pupils
• An expanded curriculum to include vocational subjects
• More resources for students such as additional text books and extended study materials
• A mini bus
• Better revision for ‘hard to reach’ students

Harrop Fold School is a great example of the work teachers do day in day out, with the weight of the community on it shoulders. While the school faces lack of resources, challenging behaviors and financial barriers, the teachers carry out their day with a smile on their face, giving students the best educations they can give, to not only grow professionally, but as the young men and women of the future.