Estelle Morris, former Secretary of State for Education, visits four schools in London and Sunderland to discuss the link between poverty and educational attainment. Speaking to their heads, who are successfully achieving high attainment levels against the odds, Estelle strives to find a replicable solution to the fact that the UK fairs badly on the international attainment table. The four Heads give a very useful insight into the problem turning around low attainment. Sir Michael Wilshaw and Dame Anna Hassan portray a realistic picture of life in London inner city schools, while Richard Bain and Jane Caldwell tackle some of the issues to be found in Sunderland. Estelle also speaks to Robert Cassen the author of the Joseph Rowntree Report, Tackling Low Educational Achievement, about the differences between poverty and attitude; and experts explain how to make best use of the data we are now rich in - and how not to be misled.

Video Series: School Matters
Release Date 2007