Episode 2 Old School with the Hairy Bikers

You know what, mate? I'm really quite excited to be back.

-Just to find out what's going on with the Old School family.

-Me too.

We're the Hairy Bikers and we're back at the Oxford Academy.

We both had a tough time when we were at school.

And for kids today it can be just as hard.

There's disruption...

I punch stuff, I kick stuff, I throw stuff.

..bullying...

They were saying how much I should kill myself,

I should jump off a bridge.

Before you say stuff about someone, you should know more about them.

..and failure.

But this struggling school

has embarked on a crazy social experiment...

WHISTLE BLOWS

..to transform the lives of young and old alike.

And we want to help.

This is like Grange Hill crossed with Last Of The Summer Wine.

-TELEVISION:

-Thank you very much.

-I've lost the...knack, if you like.

What'll happen when we bring the quiet and the noisy together?

Could they transform each other?

He's a boss. He's a beast.

Do you think the project's going to work?

Erm... I don't know.

-ALL:

-Old School!

Blackbird Leys is a huge '60s estate

that's seen riots and still has more than its share

of antisocial behaviour.

Here at the Academy, we're a month into our 12-week experiment,

pairing local oldies with teenagers.

We're hoping to see meaningful change in the mental agility

and strength of the old

and confidence, self-esteem and exam performance of the young.

But there have been problems.

Some pairs haven't been getting on.

And one ended before it began.

I don't want to do this.

Can both sides now win trust,

start listening to each other's concerns

and achieve things they never thought possible?

Jacub the midget.

Jacub is one of the most disruptive kids,

especially when he forgets to take his ADHD pills.

Today he's in big trouble again.

Jacub, behave yourself.

Shut up, Ashleigh.

-Oh, no.

-Oh, mate.

Oh, well, that's fair enough.

-Ah, you can't do that.

-But, look, you've done it.

And there's nothing... Look, bit of advice.

There's nothing you can do about history.

-Nothing at all.

-But you can do something about the future.

Exactly.

Jacub's partner is Clive.

Can he help Jacub with his behaviour and encourage him

to knuckle down with school?

And maybe in the process Jacub will help Clive, too.

That's what we hope these relationships will achieve.

-Do you know, the great thing about having Clive is you've got him to talk to about it.

-I know.

And he's not going to be judgmental.

-He's going to try and help.

-Exactly.

I think that's the whole idea of Old School.

-Plus he's cool.

-He's a cool dude.

-If he really cares...

-Mm-hm.

..REALLY cares about what Clive thinks, then that's perfect.

That's a solid relationship.

-Yes.

-Isn't it?

I haven't played in goal for ages, but it's still going...

Clive and Jacub have been meeting weekly

since the project started a month ago.

He is a boss. He's a beast.

Drama is Jacub's best subject.

And he'd like to become a professional actor.

This month he is facing the ultimate test.

A Shakespearean play.

-Hi, Jacub.

-Hello.

-How are you?

-Good, you?

I was a bit like Jacub.

In the sense that I was a bit of a bad boy at school.

Right, do you want me to...

Do you want me to sort of test you, then?

Yeah.

And I did have a short temper.

I probably still have today to be honest.

Enter Tybalt.

Look upon my death.

Yep.

Then it's, "You shall find me apt...

-That's it.

-"..enough to that, sir."

"Mercutio, thou consortest..."

Oh, yeah.

Thou consortest with Romeo.

Romeo, yeah.

I'm sure you'll get that.

Because you're...

You're clever.

You seem a bit down, Jacub.

Just, you know, be confident.

And the more you put into it, you'll feel better yourself.

Yeah.

When I'm down, it feels really sad and it feels really tiring

because I don't want to do anything. I don't want to speak to anyone.

I can't be bothered to do anything. I get really angry.

I get really agitated really quickly.

Basically, you wouldn't like me if I was down.

As long as you do it to the best of your ability

that's all you can do.

Right, we're on Scene 12.

Yeah, I've actually got to go.

-Oh, have you?

-Yeah.

Right. So, you've got to go, then.

HE SIGHS

Bye, then, Jacub.

Bye.

-See you next time.

-Yeah, see you later.

-Yeah.

'I haven't seen him as down as that.'

He's usually all, you know...

very talkative.

You know, I was going to really put him into the character,

but I thought, "No, he's not with it. He's not...

"It's not the time."

With his 14th birthday approaching,

Jacub's missing his dad, who sadly took his own life eight years ago.

I went up there on my birthday.

I sit at his grave for, like, an hour, just talking to him.

And then I just don't like talking about it

cos it always makes me cry.

It's just like, I don't know why, but I get so emotional about my dad.

I mean, yeah, I can understand why, but it's just like...

I don't know why he done it. Because he could have had...

He could have watched me and Tiana and Cain grow up and that.

And yet he still done it.

But your mum's there, isn't she?

Yeah, I know, but she'll never be my dad.

Right.

At Old School, we're not just pairing up Year Nines,

but also Year 11s.

It's a critical year for them, as their GCSEs are looming large.

And the big hope is that with the help of their partners

Marlon, Charisma, Chloe and Bethany will get better marks.

Marlon has been paired up with retired salesman Vic,

who joined Old School hoping to fill the empty hours

since he lost his wife two years ago.

Marlon in the classroom environment is pretty good.

He's what they call in modern speak a cool dude.

He's obviously very clever and he's very well-respected.

Army cadet Marlon is hoping the project

will boost his school results.

He's keen to impress Mum,

who leaves him with friends while she's away at university.

I speak to her daily on the phone, so it's all right.

But I do miss her throughout the weekdays.

But I see her on the weekend so it's all right.

Soon they'll take an oral exam for their English GCSE.

It tests how well they can express ideas when talking to adults.

Start with your key talking points.

In other words, bullet points on how it all started, et cetera.

Very briefly.

Today, Vic's giving Marlon the benefit of his experience

as a public speaker.

It's to summarise in a few words what you've said already.

But he's not made quite the impression he hoped for.

Well, I was just bored.

But I endured it.

Marlon's not alone.

Other Year 11s are struggling, too.

Every time I try to speak, Isabel will just jump in and talk over me.

Yes, you were telling me.

-So, they all tried to protect you.

-They all...

When you're doing exams, do you like to have a sort of routine?

I used to. I used to have... a special little bag

that I'd put pencils and things...

I do think I would have preferred her to know a lot more about me.

We were hearing the same complaint right across the board.

I think we've got a bit of a major problem on

cos the kids don't feel like they're being listened to.

And if Old School's going to work,

it's got to be on an equal and even playing field.

Vic and senior partners Mel and Julia

have set up a mock GCSE English oral exam.

Marlon, can I ask you to please take the seat, thank you?

Today, I'm going to talk about the Army Cadet Force.

Which I know a lot about because I myself am a cadet.

The Army Cadet Force is a national youth organisation which...

After a short presentation,

the panel test the pupil's ability to listen and respond to questions.

Do you get to use real guns?

We get to use .22 rifles,

LSWs and many other weapons.

I just had this thought.

It's really a war game which is real.

-Yeah.

-And in many ways that sort of concerns me

because if you've learnt all these things at your sort of age

and then you leave, I'm thinking, "What's in your mind afterwards?"

-Well...

-Say you got into a bit of an argument with something.

-Yeah.

Would you have that sort of thought of, say, getting hold of a gun

and doing something about it?

Fellow Year 11 Charisma is next.

Why do you think you're shy?

Because you seem quite all right today, doing what you're doing.

Yeah. Erm, I don't know. I'm really...

I've just always been really shy. Even as a little kid.

What do you think causes that?

Erm...

I have an older brother who is also really shy.

And I guess I just...

I watched him grow up,

so that's where I got my shyness from, I guess.

The thing is, by doing things as a group with other people,

that surely should overcome some of the problems you've got.

Now, what age are you now?

-15.

-I would expect at that sort of age

you'd be a bit more sort of enthusiastic and vibrant

towards your other colleagues.

Why don't you think that is?

I... It's just my personality to be shy.

But really you can't afford to be like that.

Personally, I think Vic is a critical person.

He has his personal point of view,

but he should have stopped from what he was saying.

Because the examiner wouldn't have done it.

So, that's probably put Charisma's confidence down

for when she goes into the exam.

Cos she's probably scared of the examiner going,

"Oh, I don't think it's right that you're shy."

Last up, it's Chloe's turn.

She doesn't want to do it.

-Doesn't want to do it?

-No.

-Why?

No? Don't want to do it?

-Would you like to do it for a couple of minutes?

-No.

-Just a little go?

-Yeah.

-Just try a little bit.

Just do the start.

-She doesn't want to do it.

-No, OK. Don't worry.

So, what are you going to do next week when it's for real, then?

Cos this is one opportunity you have to do this presentation

to get a qualification.

-Is it all right if we just leave the room quickly?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-Thank you.

-Bye.

It's worth 20% of their exam results, this particular exam.

And I think... I'm disappointed that I've not heard

what she had to say for herself really.

Hi, Bethany. Is she OK?

-Yes.

-Yeah? She's all right?

I'm just a bit concerned if she has this problem next week,

she's going to sort of...

She isn't going to have this problem next week.

-Is it because we're sort of...

-It is some of the things

you lot were saying. Especially you, Vic.

I did feel that you were a bit harsh on Charisma.

But that's what you have to be.

It's not, though. It is not. The examiner wouldn't be like that.

-I don't know that. I was told...

-I know, but...

I was told, unfortunately, just to hit you hard with questions.

And that's exactly what we did.

I know, but you did also put forward your personal point of view.

-Yes.

-Which was not needed, I found.

That's fine. I listen to what you're saying.

Thank you very much.

-Bye, Bethany.

-Bye.

It may not have been the roving success that we'd hoped.

But at least the iGCSE panel

shows that the kids can speak for themselves, mate.

Well, it does, doesn't it? I mean, Bethany...

Crikey, she wasn't afraid to give Vic a telling-off.

The kids tackle head teacher Niall about the problem.

I didn't really enjoy today because it wasn't really on equal terms.

He kind of felt like a teacher.

And he was, like, criticising me, kind of.

I have caught on that old people don't let young people speak.

But Year Nine Kyrone has a solution.

Could we have, like, a meeting?

Like, now we know our partners,

can we do it all of us together with all of our partners?

That is an absolutely brilliant idea.

-The answer is yes.

-Absolutely.

-I think it's fantastic.

Until now, 13-year-old Kyrone's had a reputation

for being disruptive.

I lived with my mum and dad until I was one.

Then they split up.

And then I lived with just my mum until I was 11.

And I've lived with my nan for three years now.

-All right, Nan.

-Hi, Ky.

Kyrone only likes to hear what he wants to hear.

And then he used to throw a fit.

And he still throws his little fits if he doesn't get his own way now.

Ky's idea of a meeting is great.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-You wouldn't happen to be Phyllis, by any chance?

-I would be.

-Hello, Phyllis, I'm Simon. Nice to meet you.

-Do come in.

Thank you very much.

Could the project be influencing him to be more grown-up?

Hey, what... You've got a fab house, isn't it? Fab.

So, I have an idea.

I think you should chair the meeting.

And I'll support you. As will Dave.

But I think it should be your meeting.

-Really?

-Yeah.

It was your idea.

It was your initiative.

It was your voice that was heard.

And that's an enormous skill, Ky.

What are you going to do? Fancy it?

-Yeah, I'll do it.

-Yeah? Will you do it?

-Mm-hm.

What a man! What a man!

Si wants me to chair the meeting.

And when he said that I was really, really happy.

Because it's a big thing, Old School,

and I'm proud to be a part of it,

let alone chair all the meetings...

chair some meetings and stuff.

What it's done is, it's just given you the opportunity to shine.

And you are shining.

You're a natural, born leader, mate.

It'll be interesting to see

if he plays a key role in keeping the Old School train on the track.

And I have a feeling I think he's going to.

He's a big personality.

-See you tomorrow.

-Yep.

-Courage, mon frere.

-See you later.

-See you, Phyllis. Ta-ra, darling. Lovely to meet you.

Thanks very much.

Do you have any worries about it?

Just not knowing what to say halfway through, or...

Just, that's it.

-Take your time.

-Yeah.

-That's the key. Just take your time.

It's the day of the big meeting.

Will Kyrone be able to keep his new-found maturity and hold his own?

Does anyone know why we've all come here?

No.

Right, so we're just going to all be talking about what

we want to achieve from Old School.

And we're going to be talking about the problems

that we've been having so far.

Like, with each other.

So, shall we start by saying what's gone wrong so far in the meetings?

We just need to talk about that.

Like, more than half of us said that our old partners don't listen.

They just, like, butt in.

And a lot of us said that.

And we said they were treating us like a student at the school.

They just take over, acting like a teacher.

Bethany.

Erm...

I don't think that I'm that comfortable with Isabella yet.

I don't think I'm ready to express what I have behind closed doors yet.

So... I think there's some hiccups, but not quite there.

I think, to be fair, relationships take time to develop.

-Good God, yes.

-It's not just an instant mix, is it?

-No, no.

I would hate to think that my partner didn't think

I was listening to her.

Because after all I'm here to help her.

And she is to help me.

I'm quite surprised, really, at the sort of adverse comments like this.

Because I sat in on an English lesson the other week

and everybody seemed to be quite affable towards me.

And then we went and sat down, three of us as a panel,

to listen to them do a presentation

and I got a bit of flak from these girls here.

They thought I was being a bit harsh.

Maybe you could think about just presenting it slightly more gently.

I was very pleased that there was some feedback.

-Otherwise...

-Fantastic, though.

-It's all about communication.

-Correct.

-And I think that's a massive strength.

-Yes, very much so.

I think it's brilliant.

Because nobody's actually wrong.

Everybody's just actually learning.

And that's the most important thing, isn't it?

I think the first meeting has gone good.

So, thank you for listening.

-And sharing your ideas.

-Well done, everybody.

Thank you.

I was quite took back, a little bit.

Because he did seem very confident.

And he did make some really, really good points.

I think Kyrone was actually right.

Maybe some of us oldies

don't actually listen to what the youngsters are saying.

Maybe we haven't got that much confidence, so we tend to gabble on.

If everybody starts listening, things will change.

Phew! That was a bit of a handful, wasn't it?

-Well done, Ky.

-It was. Thanks. It was harder than I thought.

-You know, it's such early days with the project.

-Yeah.

It's a bit like being a dentist, isn't it?

If there's any rot there, you've got to cut it out.

-Yeah, we needed it. So...

-Yeah, well done, mate.

-Well done.

You were the one in the firing line.

-Yeah, I know.

-Yes, I bet...

I bet that seat got a bit hot, did it?

-Good lad.

-Cheers.

We're hoping the meeting will help bring our partners closer.

Ex-store detective Marina is on the case to find out

about her partner Kimberly's home life.

-This is my house!

-Thank you very much.

Well, my mum's house really.

-So, this is my mum.

-Hi. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you. What is Mum's name?

-I'm Hayley.

-Hayley. Marina.

-This is... That's me when I had long hair.

-Uh-huh.

This is my brother, Jardell.

When he was born he was really small.

-Yeah?

-He was a kilo.

He was a kilo?

Yeah. Very tiny. Very, very sick.

CHILD CRIES

Jardell!

Kimberly has a complicated home life and doesn't get much attention.

My mum's on her own.

She's got five children and she's got two disabled ones.

Well, one's disabled and can't walk. And one's got anger management.

-In here is the living room.

-Oh, right.

This is my brother, Jardell. Hello, Jardell.

Hello, Jardell.

So, how are you, then?

-How are you doing?

-I'm doing well.

How are you doing?

What did you do at school today?

I did English.

-This is my room with my name on it.

-I see that, yes.

Oh, that's a lovely room, isn't it?

-Do you want to sit down?

-I could sit down.

I feel like I'll bash my head when I get up.

-I'll sit down on the beanbag.

-OK.

Do you spend much time up here? Apart from sleeping?

Erm... I try to, but sometimes my mum needs loads of help

so I have to go down to help her.

Sometimes I feel like my mum just doesn't listen

or doesn't love me, but I know she does.

And, I don't understand what's going on...

Why doesn't she spend time with me any more?

Do you know many people on the estate? Do you have many friends round here?

No, I don't have any friends around here.

I don't have that many friends. I have...

five friends and that's it.

-Really?

-Everyone in my whole year is just horrible to me.

-Why?

It's been a lovely afternoon, darling.

Do you want to see me to the door? I'll say bye to your mum.

With so many siblings to look after, Kimberly barely goes out

so Marina is planning a few treats.

Bye, then, love. Bye.

She never really seems to get a lot of time to do things for herself

and that's where obviously I can perhaps help her.

We can spend some time together.

That may be a few trips out or whatever Kimberly thinks

she would like to do with me.

-DAVE:

-It's funny, isn't it?

You always think of the old being alone and isolated,

but kids like Kimberly suffer, too.

And Professor Christina Victor tells us

the problem is bigger than we imagine.

The highest levels of loneliness in Britain are older people,

but also young adults between 15 and 24

are particularly vulnerable to loneliness.

In a school like this, it seems implausible that

-some of the young people will be lonely, but they will be.

-Gosh!

It does seem as though the answer is staring us in the face...

is to get them together, which is what we're trying to do, effectively.

Yeah, you bring people together and they can find something in common,

then you have a chance to build a relationship

that is meaningful to both parties

and that's what cures, or solves, loneliness.

-Do you think the project is going to work?

-Erm...

I don't know is the honest answer. I don't know.

It's time to bring in a little help.

The basis of any good relationship is understanding.

The old 'uns know what it's like to be young,

but do our young 'uns know what it's like to be old?

We've asked Dr Emily Henderson,

a geriatrician at Bristol University, to help them find out.

-So, who's going to try on the ageing suit?

-Me.

-Fantastic!

She's got a body suit so you can experience the trials of ageing.

Now we've got some weights that we're going to put on

your ankles and wrists.

Here! Has she got anything that works in reverse?

I'm afraid not, mate, no.

We've got some goggles that make it harder to see. That's it.

And age is associated with hearing loss,

so we're going to put these on you.

Basically, it diminishes your ability to see and hear.

-How many fingers am I holding up?

-Two.

-Hee-hee!

Three!

Jacub the Elder hits the Oxford Academy lunch rush.

There are over two million elderly people in the UK with severe

sight loss and over 33% with profound hearing loss.

It can make them feel vulnerable and anxious about going out

so they end up alone at home.

You can't...

How are you doing? What does this feel like? He can't cheat!

-I know, he can't cheat!

-He wouldn't be able to hear!

OK. How...

Are you all right? My God! You talk...

-You even talk differently to him. This is insane!

-Yeah.

Right, do you want to go up some stairs? Do you feel confident?

Are you all right to do this, mate, yeah?

OK, try going up and also coming down again.

So, you want to hold on the rail.

Interesting! Straight away, yeah.

Yeah, do you notice how you're making your feet wider

so you're more stable?

Wearing the suit made me feel like I was being weighed down,

like I had a massive weight on my shoulders. It made me feel like...

I don't want to be an old person like that.

I want to be, like, a good old person who can walk and, like,

still speak and walk properly.

Right, Jacub. Stop there.

-How did that feel?

-Embarrassing.

-Right, right.

-And hard to walk.

-OK.

My vision was blurry.

-I can't see anything and I can hardly hear anything.

-OK.

Do you think it's changed your opinion of the older

people in the community?

Erm, yeah, because now I know that

if I see someone walking in a funny way or not speaking to me it's

because they might have a problem with their eyes or hearing and

their legs and their arms and they might not be able to walk properly.

I think we should get Jacub back to his normal, exuberant,

bright and energetic self.

Yes, I think so! Come on, mate. Let's take them off.

Let's start with your wrists.

-Hello, Marina.

-All right, darling?

-Yeah.

-Right, let's go for our visit.

Marina is taking Kimberly on her first outing in ages.

-We're off!

-Right.

Kimberly is a carer so Marina wants this to be a special day

just for her.

-Where do you want to start, darling?

-Let's go and see the deer.

Deer, antelope... I don't know what it is. Red deer.

Hello! Please touch. I'll touch it.

SHE LAUGHS

Let's go down here.

Oh, it's a dodo! Hello, dodo!

MARINA LAUGHS

Kimberly is a bit like a whirling dervish,

racing around there, but very excited.

It's going to eat me! Argh!

Taking the lead, showing me all around. She absolutely loved it.

LAUGHTER

I feel it did quite a bit of good today, actually.

What's this?

-A domino cockroach and a question-mark cockroach.

-Ugh!

Oh, they're moving!

THEY LAUGH

It's really fun to be with Marina. She's just really fun.

She's amazing. She's a good friend. She's really kind.

What are these?

-Madagascan hissing cockroach.

-Oh, look.

-It's moving its little tentacles.

-Tentacles?!

-Well, I don't know.

What do you call them?

THEY GIGGLE

Ugh! Horrible things!

GIGGLING

It was fabulous. Fabadoo!

Today was fabadoo! It was awesome.

I really liked to see the dinosaurs with Marina and the live animals.

Marina has broken through to Kimberly.

For her and husband Clive, Old School is really helping, too.

They've both struggled

since their own son died of a drugs overdose ten years ago.

It was a massive shock to us.

He was quite a clever lad.

He had a good job. We felt a little bit guilty.

Did we do enough, you know? Was there something we should have seen?

Being around young people is taking the edge off some of that

devastating guilt and grief.

Me and Marina do have a need to try and help someone.

Clive managed to get Jacub to stick at learning his lines for the play.

Now, Jacub wants to say thank you.

-Hello!

-Hi, Clive.

DOOR BLEEPS

Cool!

Release door!

I'm a bit nervous and excited at the same time.

I've never been round his house.

I don't know what it's going to be like.

I was expecting him to have loads of antique stuff and, like,

proper...really comfy chairs and everything.

-I've got something for you.

-Aww! That's nice of you. How are you?

-I'm good.

-Good. Come in, then. Oh, that's sweet.

-This place is like a maze.

-It is a maze. Yeah, I know.

Come and have a sit-down, then.

Clive has decided the time has come

to introduce Jacub to his son, Matthew.

That's Matthew when he was young.

-Aw!

-Probably not much younger than you there, Jacub.

He looks so much like you.

-He was hyperactive.

-I'm very hyperactive.

-Well, obviously I've got ADHD, but...

-Yeah, he was...

It's possible Matthew may have had that syndrome,

but it was never diagnosed.

This is the graveyard in Abingdon

because we used to live in Abingdon, so we had to...

We had him buried.

-My dad's buried in Wilber Querry.

-That's nice, isn't it?

How long ago did your father die, Jacub?

He died when I was about six so it's probably been about eight years.

-Yeah.

-What did he die of, if you don't mind me asking?

-He...

-Don't tell me if you don't want to.

-He took his own life.

-Oh, did he?

-Yeah.

-Oh! Oh, that's sad.

-Yeah.

-That's sad.

'Where I've got ADHD and that, people wouldn't, like,'

want to have a straight-on conversation with me

because they think that I get too over the top.

I go over the top with my hyperness.

-Don't forget, he'll always be watching you.

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

OK. Right, I'll see you out, then.

'But with Clive, he just listens and I always listen with him.'

So, I'm glad that I can open up to him about my dad

and he can open up to me about Matthew, so, yeah, that's good.

-I hope...

-Take care.

-And you. I hope you enjoy the chocolates.

Yeah, that's very nice of you. Thank you.

-You're welcome. Right, bye.

-Bye, then.

Jacub and Clive aren't the only ones eager to find common ground.

-Ready?

-How are you going, Kyrone?

-I'm good.

-How's your week been?

But is Dave really ready to listen this time?

I have a couple of problem grandchildren.

My grandson, now, he has real bad anger problems.

Most probably worse than you.

But, in your case, you say you have an anger problem,

-you play rugby to get rid of it.

-Yeah.

What is it that really makes you angry?

-You know, you have to have a reason.

-I think... I don't know.

I think, like...

Erm, at home where I live with my nan, I get my own way a lot.

Now we're getting there.

When I go to my mum's I don't get my own way

because my little sister's there, my little brother's there.

Did you choose that of your own doing? To live with your nan?

Yeah, I did. When I was, like, nine. Because, like...

My mum had a boyfriend. He was, like, an idiot.

-I just moved in with my nan.

-Ah!

And that's also another reason why I get anger.

It seems strange that I meet someone like you

and I have a grandson exactly like you.

Today's session I had with Kyrone I've felt was one of the best

I've had so far.

Because we've been talking in depth and I'm starting to learn quite

a lot about his own life besides his actual interests, which is all good.

I think I got my short temper from my dad,

because his temper just goes like that.

I think we're going to achieve quite a lot as time goes on

because he is opening up, which is a really good thing.

You'll find that your relationship with your mum

and your family will get better because you're getting older

-and you're starting to understand.

-Yeah.

-And... You never know.

You might even move back home.

It's just really good how one session just exploded. Everything.

-And I think it went really, really well.

-Have you got a class?

-Yeah, I've got PE.

-No worries. All right.

HE GRUNTS

Getting old!

Some partnerships are really blossoming. But not all.

Rick joined Old School hoping it would rekindle his life,

but sadly he's become sick and can't continue.

That leaves Robbie, who often misses school caring for his ill mum,

without a partner.

I was quite disappointed, to be fair. I'd like to continue.

I don't want to be kicked out. I still want to be here.

I still want to see how it's all going on.

Until we find him another partner, I have an idea.

I know we said we wouldn't do it,

but I think I want to give it a go and be Robbie's temporary partner.

Now, I know it's only temporary, cos it has to be.

Wooooaaah...

I don't know. I...

Look, the thing is, we're not around all the time

and that's what he needs

and it's intervening in kids' lives that...

-We're not here enough.

-No, I know.

-I know, but we've given it a month.

-Right.

If another month goes by, I think the project could lose Robbie,

and I think if I just give a month and a bit more

then we could keep Robbie, and I think it's worth it.

-I'm not sure you should do it.

-Well...

-Genuinely, mate, I'm not.

-I'm going to give it a go.

-Are you?

-Yeah.

Well, I hope it doesn't end in tears.

-Dave.

-Hello, Robbie.

-There you go, Robbie. That's it. I'm your older partner.

-Oh, yes!

-What do you reckon?

-Very nice. Yes.

-You don't give much away, do you?

-No.

How's things been going at school? Have you been turning up?

-I am giving it my best and I can do good work.

-Yeah, I know.

The school have said that.

So, you know, like, further education isn't out of the question.

You know, it's just the next couple of years are important.

When I finished Year 11, I just looked into a position

at the City of Oxford College.

But due to family issues

I couldn't go, because it was a bus ride into town.

I need to be somewhere closer to home.

Many of these kids have stories that are close to my own.

My mum had multiple sclerosis. She was very seriously handicapped.

I come home from school three months before my A-levels

and my dad had had a stroke. He was paralysed.

Basically, the three months when my dad was ill,

I didn't go into school.

I so nearly blew it. I just scraped two A-levels. I was predicted four.

I think, the age you are, it's so important

that you kind of get it right. And I want you to get it right.

'It's not easy getting these kids to open up.'

You need to have some fun.

Today is the big day for Jacub.

At the start of term, he was very unsure of himself

and lacking in confidence.

Tonight, he's meant to be stepping out in front of an audience

to perform Romeo And Juliet.

Has Clive, and Old School,

given him enough faith in himself to hold it together?

I'm very nervous...and I feel sick.

I'm calming down! Trying to, but still...

I've never done a performance in front of, like, 200-and-something people before

and it's going to be really scary.

It's 11.30am

and Miss Powell gathers the cast together in the dining hall.

Number one - we are representing the Oxford Academy

when we are at Headington girls' school.

I don't want a single word of negativity about our school.

If there is any misbehaving, not listening,

you are coming straight back in the car back here.

JACUB LAUGHS

Listen to me. It's not funny, Jacub.

-Sorry.

-This is exactly what I'm talking about.

-OK.

-Hello, Jacub.

-Hello!

-How are you?

Clive will be with Jacub throughout the day's rehearsals

and the evening performance.

JACUB SQUEAKS

-I ain't took my tablet.

-You haven't taken your tablet?

-No.

You should be all right when you're acting, then.

SQUEAKING CONTINUES

I can't stop making that noise.

-What made you forget them?

-I don't know.

I just woke up, didn't take it.

Miss, can you buy me a drink?

'Bit of a problem.'

Jacub forgot to take his tablet this morning. Well, his medicine.

He seems quite hyper... and acting very strange.

SQUEAKING NOISES CONTINUE

So, I'm a bit concerned that, erm, as the day goes on,

he's not going to be able to do his lines, or he might forget them.

Chips!

Sausage!

Hopefully it will turn out OK but...

you know, I'm a bit concerned and it's a worry.

JACUB LAUGHS

This could ruin it for everyone.

The only hope is to make a detour on the way to the theatre

to pick up his medication.

-Mum!

-Your tablets.

-I know.

Come here!

Jacub's mum has yet to find childcare,

so she may miss seeing him perform.

You've got to remember to take them every morning, mate,

because Miss Davies rings me

and I get frustrated speaking to her about it.

-You know you have to take it.

-I'm sorry.

-All right.

Right. Good luck.

-Yeah? Have fun.

-Bye!

-Show them your best.

If my mum don't come to the performance I'll feel a little upset

but Clive's coming to it, so I won't be that upset.

Because, like, me and Clive, we're, like, best friends now.

Ah, well...

I've told Jacub that...

I'm here for him.

I think he appreciated that.

And we've gone over his lines a few times and he seems to be...

you know, he seems to know them more or less.

But can Jacub pull it off?

This is your world.

'Robbie is taking me to his favourite hot spot,

'the local gaming store.'

-All right. So, this is your natural habitat.

-Sort of, yeah.

-Yeah.

-I like it round here.

'I'm a fish out of water here

'but I hope this will bring him out of his shell.'

Shall we have a go?

That's the problem, though. I think I could really get locked into it

-but I'd feel I'd be wasting time.

-It's not wasting time.

It's a good hobby. It's better than watching telly.

Watching telly is passively stimulating,

where playing games is actively stimulating.

-Steady on! That's how I make a living!

-DAVE LAUGHS

-It's quite active because you're using your brain to think.

-Yeah?

Like, moving the controller and, like, being active with the game.

'It's great to see him passionate about something.

'Time to let Robbie teach me.'

-Turning.

-Steering, aye?

-Yes.

Oh, sugar! I'm getting out.

You keep on going. Don't ever stop.

Don't stop believing, Dave.

A bit heavy on the brakes, I think.

Don't always brake round the corners.

-Just let go of the accelerator and let yourself fly across it.

-Drift?

You've just got to keep up.

I know, but it's like Driving Miss Daisy.

-Let yourself go around the corner.

-All right. I'll accelerate.

I'll go for it, Robbie, but I know how it's going to end up.

When you're going in a straight line is the best time to accelerate.

-Oh! Marginally better.

-You see?

-Yeah, no, I'm with you.

-You're getting there.

-Thank you.

-Where are the rest of them?

-Um, they're quite a bit ahead.

Just a little bit, obviously.

-What happened? I was doing all right.

-You finished.

-Oh!

-It's over.

-I was just getting warmed up.

-The race is done.

-Quite enjoyed that.

-Did you, now?

-Yeah.

-Looked like it was.

-Yeah.

-It was getting better.

-Yeah.

-Remember, glide across the corners.

-Glide. I know.

I just worry about wasting time. Do you think I should buy it?

-Do you want to buy it? It's your decision.

-What do you think?

'I feel for Robbie, I really do.'

Hiya. Thank you.

-It's his fault.

-Ha-ha!

'He's a smart kid and I really need to find him the partner he deserves.'

Thank you very much. This is me. Welcome to the 21st century.

What's Minecraft about?

Oh, it's this game made by this Swedish developer...

EXCITED CHATTER

It's an hour until curtain up

and Jacub's medication doesn't seem to be working.

-How are you feeling?

-I'm nervous. I don't want to wear these.

-Brilliant. I think that's the one.

-I know.

I just don't want to wear these trousers, as well.

They're all right. They look good.

I feel really uncomfortable in these trousers.

That's all right. Doesn't matter.

Stress is bad for Jacub.

It feeds his ADHD.

He needs help to focus and stay calm.

Come on, let's go and have a chat.

-I'm just nervous.

-Yeah, but don't... Those people that are all there,

when those lights are on in the... you know, in where the seats are,

you can't see those people.

Yeah.

Don't be nervous.

-I know it's easy saying "don't be nervous"...

-Exactly!

It's all right saying "don't be nervous"

but you're not the one being onstage.

I know, but you're brave enough and you're confident enough.

I think you'll be all right.

Yeah.

The Old School posse has just turned up to cheer them on.

Smile. Express what you're saying and just enjoy it. Don't panic.

If you forget anything, I'll prompt you, if you need it. Go for it.

Really enjoy it.

My heart is pounding.

Come on, guys!

The other senior members are blissfully unaware

of the crisis brewing behind the scenes.

I'm nervous for them, aren't you?

I hope it goes well, yeah, poor little sods.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,

and welcome to this evening's performance

of Shakespeare School Festival here at the theatre at Headington.

We have four very brilliant shows for you this evening.

The first up is Oxford Academy

with their production of Romeo And Juliet, directed by Miss Pearson.

APPLAUSE

What, art thou drawn amongst these heartless minds?

Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.

I do but keep the peace.

What, drawn, and talk of peace!

I hate the word as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee.

Well, peace be with you, sir. Here comes my man.

Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford

no better term than this - thou art a villain.

MUSIC: "O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

At the start of term, Jacub was regularly in detention

and even getting violent.

But Clive has helped him earn the chance to celebrate.

-My heart can't stop pounding.

-Well done!

My heart can't stop pounding, man!

EXCITED SHRIEKS

My heart's going like that.

My heart's going!

Now that me and Jacub seem to have this bond

- I think he trusts me now to a certain point -

I'd like to delve a little bit deeper into his ADHD

and what he feels, you know,

with his father dying.

Three, two, one.

Whaaay!

One more. Hang on. Oh, no, it's Snapchat.

Having Clive with me, it means the world because, like,

I don't think I would have been able to do what I done.

Clive's a person that can encourage you to do things

that you wouldn't think that you could do.

-That was brilliant, son. Well done.

-Cheers.

Top man.

'It's changed my life completely

'and I think a lot more people should start doing it'

because it could change their life and...

I reckon it's just a whole different thing to do

and I reckon it's a brilliant thing to do altogether.

It's not just Jacub who's benefiting from being centre stage.

I've heard Kimberly's come up with a great idea

which goes to the very heart of what Old School is all about.

The early-morning bustle, I can hear it...behind the door!

Good morning! How are you? Hi, Hayley, I'm Si. Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you.

-And you, and you. Hey!

Kimberly, how are you doing, darling? Hello!

Don't you look bright? And breezy. Let me know what you need us to do.

Can Simon take you to the door? In your wheelchair?

Do you know you're taking me?

It's busy this morning.

-Have a good day.

-Have a good day.

Bye.

Brilliant.

With the kids off to school, me and Kimberly finally get to chat.

-You and Mam are on quite a strict timescale, aren't you?

-Yeah.

-In the morning, it's really busy.

-Very, very busy.

I like helping my mum. It makes me feel good inside.

You just need some time for you.

Because I think you are an incredibly bright young woman.

And you're full of ideas.

And it's...Old School's become a really good forum for you,

so you can kind of step into the limelight a bit.

Which is great.

Hence the idea for the Old School Games.

Kimberly's come up with a really interesting concept.

She's come up with the intergenerational games.

I think the feeling is that we're all going to let her run with it

because she understands the value of getting the community together,

getting them working as a team together,

making sure those pairs are starting to bond.

Brilliant.

And I think that it'll do enormous good for Kimberly's confidence.

It's a great idea because it's incredibly important

for...the older partners of Old School

to keep active.

And you've picked up on that.

It's about being physically active, but it's also about being

-emotionally and mentally active, isn't it?

-Yeah, definitely.

And making new friends and teamwork and participation things.

So, the games is going to help and I think that's brilliant.

You're going to be kind of master of ceremonies.

-Big day today, then, isn't it?

-Yes. Definitely.

-I'm going to be really excited.

-To infinity and beyond, as they say.

To infinity and beyond.

Well done, mate.

Great idea.

With the partnerships beginning to take root,

is it too soon to reach out, recruit more locals...

And, crucially, find a new partner for Robbie?

With this in mind, along with Kimberly's games,

we're hosting an Old School fair.

-We've got Isabella and Bethany running a food stall.

-Get in!

Dave and Wes's traditional meat raffle.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Jacub and Clive's free-kick zone.

CHEERING

That was a shot!

Oh, and it seems Kyrone has an idea too.

What is that? And what are they?

Basically,

you two are going to go in there.

Hope you're getting a lot of money for this. How much are you charging?

20 pence a sponge? You're having a laugh! We're going to be soaked!

How much are you hoping to raise?

If you say 400 quid, I'm going to murder you!

400.

With hundreds of people who've heard about Old School,

it's our job to try and convince them to join us.

Hi, everybody, welcome, one and all,

to the most marvellously spectacular Oxford Academy.

Amazing school.

And welcome, to those that don't know us, to our Old School family.

We want to spread the word to the wider community.

We want to leave a legacy for Old School.

We want it to go on, we don't want it to disappear

and then it all to fizzle out.

If you're interested in getting involved with Old School,

either as an older partner, or as a younger partner,

please just sign up.

It doesn't commit you to anything.

There'll be no phone calls next week.

We're thinking about next term or the term after.

-Thank you very much, have a great time.

-Thank you.

APPLAUSE

Who would have thought at the start of term that we could

generate this much interest?

It feels like the whole of Blackbird Leys has turned out

to see what's going on.

-Hello, dear. How are you?

-Very well.

-What are you doing?

-Keep pedalling. Keep the cocktails going.

-I've got a lad called Marlon who I'm paired up with.

-Oh, right?

They teach us things and we teach them things.

Are you interested in taking part, because there's a couple

of spare students that would like to be sort of mentored?

-Really?

-Yes, there's Robbie and Chloe.

-Yeah?

Well, Mel and Vic are certainly doing their bit,

so I guess we should too.

If we must, Dave, if we must.

Go on, shall we have one each?

Yes, we can... Righto.

Step back! Step back, they're heavy!

Oooh!

Hey, hold on, hold on!

There's got to be a line. Go back a bit!

I'll stand here, yeah?

Yeah, a bit further back, you!

I'll still hit you a bit further back!

-Flipping heck!

-I'm hitting him now.

-Oh!

-That was a good 'un!

Robbie is on the lookout for a new senior partner

and has pulled out his trump card,

the offer of free IT advice.

I do have a computer at home, but it's not running at its best.

-I'm trying to get it to work.

-Oh, I see.

-I'm thinking of building my own.

-You are?

-Yeah...

Gosh, that sounds wonderful.

-Yes, it's quite complicated.

-You are clever.

Could you see yourself being interested as partnering Robbie?

Yes, I would. I find him very interesting, you know.

We seem to get on like a house on fire.

He can help me an awful lot.

I think I could boost his self-esteem a bit, you know.

-Yes, I think you could help.

-Jolly him along.

Result! It looks like we might have a partner for Robbie after all.

This is amazing.

And with the crowd swelling, it's time for Kimberly's big moment.

And there's someone more interested than most.

-Oh, my gosh!

-All right?

Oh, my gosh! Oh, yeah!

What are you doing here?

I've come in to help you with your thing.

I wanted my mum to come, but I didn't know if she could,

with the babies and that.

The Old School Games are about to begin.

Before it started I was really scared,

but with my mum there to support me I knew it was going to be OK.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,

I pronounce the Old School Games are now officially open.

CHEERING

Old School!

APPLAUSE

Could the partners please make their way down to the starting point?

-Right.

-Let the games begin!

Could you all have your toes behind the line, please?

Five, four, three, two...

WHISTLE BLOWS

Now they're going to go up against each other.

Four, three, two...

WHISTLE BLOWS

At the start of term, these two isolated groups came together

uncertain and unsure of each other.

Just look at them now.

For today, at least, they are uniting.

Everyone looks more sprightly, and they're clearly having a good time.

And in everyone's eyes, Kimberly has gone to infinity and beyond.

This is definitely a new Kimberly.

I've never seen a Kimberly like this before.

It's almost like there's a light shining inside her, you know?

There's a candle that went out, and now her candle has been lit,

and she is absolutely loving it. She really is loving it.

Kimberly's just wonderful. She's thoroughly enjoying it.

It's been a brilliant afternoon for both of us, I think.

A big round of applause for Kimberly, because it was her idea.

-It is amazing.

-Well done, Kimberly.

It's made me really happy.

This is, like, the best day of my life that's ever happened.

And as the fair draws to a close,

dare we hope that we're onto something?

With so many locals coming into the school, I think we're

beginning to build bridges and heal divisions between the school

and the people that it serves.

Brilliant, a great community feel.

Lots of love, lots of warmth, and every single person from today

walked out with a smile on their face.

Now, that has to be a success.

I think we've got something that really is valid. It's working.

It's how we go forward to ensure its success, how it's administered,

how it's funded, you know, how it's going to keep going, really.

Next time - as test results come in for young...

Three, two, one...

-..and old...

-Is it still going?

Has the experiment worked?

I've got to focus. Got to be sharp, because I'm nervous as well.

And, can it continue?

What sort of money are we talking about?

We would need £35,000 plus.

What's the reality if we don't raise that?

The project won't exist.

What do you think about the younger and older generations of today?

Well, to find out more and have your say, go to...

And follow the link to the Open University.