In June 2007, Salisbury School in Enfield, became the first state secondary to be taken over by private management. Edison UK, a division of an American multinational, were given a three year £1.2 million contract to manage a school that had been flat-lining for years, with part of their fee directly linked to achievement. This film follows the first six months of this unique experiment. With exclusive access to executive headteacher Trevor Averre Beeson and his Edison management team, we follow their attempts to raise the standard of teaching and learning, boost staff and student morale and even re-brand the school, with a possible name change to 'Renaissance'. We see Edison and LEA advisors working together to raise standards, and an initially sceptical staff reacting positively to the more business-oriented culture. For Averre Beeson, school improvement needs to be less about re-inventing the wheel, and more about finding a successful formula and repeating it.

Video Series: School Matters
Release Date 2008