Episode 3 Old School with the Hairy Bikers

We're the Hairy Bikers and we're on our way back to the Oxford Academy.

Not a posh college,

but a struggling secondary school up by the Cowley car factory.

We both had a tough time in school,

and for kids today it's just as hard.

There's disruption...

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

-..bullying...

-Everyone is 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 an ambitious project...

..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.

Across town, there's lonely, undervalued and isolated old folk.

I have lost the...

knack, if you like.

We're finding out what happens when we bring the quiet

and the noisy together.

Could they transform each other?

He's a boss, he's beast.

Do you think the project is going to work?

I don't know.

Old School!

It's only a month until the end of term and the critical phase

of our pilot experiment.

Well, that's it. We're fighting for survival.

The thing is, it's a precious thing that we're doing.

We've worked hard at it and we've just got to get it.

Yeah, it's worth it, Kingy,

and what's worth having is worth fighting for.

We've got exams and scientific tests coming up to show if young and old

have not only gained confidence, but improved mentally and physically.

But first, now our 12 pairs have the measure of each other,

will they change?

It's Monday morning, and 13-year-old Jacub is in trouble yet again.

Wait.

-Can you sort this out?

-No, no, I'll do it.

Jacub, you've got two detentions left.

You need to make sure that your behaviour improves in lessons,

otherwise you won't be able to leave lessons for Old School.

-School takes priority over it.

-Yeah, right.

Could his constant detentions mean our first-ever Old School exclusion?

Headmaster Neil is improving the school,

but desperate for more challenging pupils like Jacub

to knuckle down in lessons.

In 2014, GCSE results here were less than half the national average.

For Jacub, education, really,

is his biggest chance of having a really successful life,

and he's got to take it.

Jacub's partner, retired kitchen fitter Clive,

comes in to meet the head of year, Miss Davies.

What does it mean, his homework and things he doesn't do?

He's missing lesson time, but then when he's getting the C4s in lessons

it's taking him out of lessons and he's not doing homework,

he's falling behind in his levels.

So I've sort of explained to Jacub that if he can't behave in school

then he can't be taken out for the Old School.

Yeah, I'll have a word with him.

Nah.

I've got to have a word with you.

-Yeah.

-Because you love playing your games all the time,

and not doing your homework.

And you're getting too many detentions,

which I don't think is good for you because you're better than that,

and I know you're better than that

and you know you're better than that.

-Come up this way, it's quicker.

-And...

You know, we need to schedule you a little bit better

where you're still playing your games,

-do a bit of homework...

-Yeah.

..for an hour and then go back onto your games.

So you've got the bad bit in between.

You've got the good bit, the bad bit and the good bit.

I noticed you're confident in a lot of things,

so I'm confident that you're going to improve on your detention.

Five of our kids are from year 11,

and school's gearing up for the autumn round of GCSEs,

which will help show if our project improves academic results.

It's life-changing, isn't it?

If you do really well, it gives you a really big start in life.

It seems to be more important now than when I was at school.

Yes, it is. The GCSEs are that important to their lives.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATION

Right, ready? Three, two, one, go.

LAUGHTER

16-year-old Wes will be resitting his maths.

But instead of much-needed revision,

he's concentrating on how to win the sixth form chilli challenge.

I'm going to be sick.

Well, I ain't going boxing tonight.

Some of our 12 kids are the most challenging in the school.

I started boxing from the age of ten

because I felt I needed to protect myself.

I've always been in trouble, always been the aggressor in school.

I was always hitting people because of a short temper.

This is where I used to do my boxing.

I used to come in here,

hang my bag up there and just train for hours on end.

From the age of seven, Wes has lived with either his grandma or his dad.

My family are not good at showing love, some of them.

Mainly my mum's not very good.

Yeah.

It would've been nice to have some sort of woman to talk to

and sort of put me to sleep, really, tuck me in bed.

The sort of things that all the other children had.

Wes's partner, ex-car worker Dave, has come in for a catch-up.

-How's the week been, mate?

-Actually, not too good.

-Not too good?

-No.

-Want to tell me about it?

Well, what I was planning on doing is doing my maths,

but because I haven't been attending lessons they didn't think

I was capable of getting a C,

so they pulled me out of the exam and now I have to do it next year.

-So...

-I see. Not very clever, is it?

-So I have to wait a whole...

No. I have to wait a whole year before I can do my maths again.

Is there any way I can help you, do you think?

I'm not too sure because...

..I thought I was on a certain level, that I could get a C,

but the teachers actually think I'm not capable of getting a C.

-Because you're not putting the effort in?

-Yeah.

Do you accept that you haven't been putting the effort in?

Yeah, I do. I haven't been putting the effort in.

Why do you reckon that is, then?

I haven't had the motivation to put it in.

I've just been leaving early for school

to try and concentrate on boxing.

You can't blame the school when you yourself don't put the effort,

-can you?

-No.

Well, I think you can be helped and I think you can help yourself,

which is more important.

There is no magic wand, is there?

No, of course not.

It is time for our partners to move beyond friendships and make

positive changes in each other's lives.

Clive have decided to visit Jacub at home.

-There you go.

-Right.

Sit down and I'll set it up.

Jacub's father died eight years ago

and he spends A LOT of time in his room.

How long do you think we ought to play, then?

-About 45 minutes.

-45?!

Yeah.

Try half an hour, try 30 minutes.

-All right.

-Yeah? And then we'll have a little go on the homework.

I'll help you, if I can.

That's to move, that's to look around, that's to reload,

that's to change your weapon,

that's to throw your incendiary grenade,

that's to throw your secondary grenade.

Right, let's go through that slowly, then.

So you've got to try and shoot me.

-Which is shoot?

-That's to aim

and that's to shoot.

Oh.

Hold on. Which moves? That one.

GUNFIRE

Dead.

-Is that me?

-Deaded.

With video games, it's like because I've got ADHD, they help me relax.

The other day I got upset because my dad passed away,

and me and Ashley were talking about it and I said that I missed him

near to Christmas and my birthdays.

-That's understandable.

-And then I started crying because it's like

when he's not here at Christmas or my birthdays.

Clive suffered a similar loss ten years ago when his son Matthew

died of an overdose.

Other times it's just an ordinary day,

but Christmases and birthdays, you know...

..that's when you really miss loved ones that have passed on.

-Yeah.

-And me and Marina, we're terrible at Christmas.

You know, your dad would see you grow up.

Yeah. That's what I was angry about.

There's my dad up here, look.

That's him there.

He was always into mountain bikes.

I can remember my dad being a funny, smiley person.

For Jacub to talk about the loss of his father was quite brave of him.

Normally kids of that age would just keep it in...

..so that gave us, I think, common ground.

We're both sort of grieving, really.

Old School, I think it's helped because when I've got you,

you're not so much as a father figure,

but you're like one of my closest friends.

Well, I consider you as one of my closest friends.

Yeah, I see you as one of my closest friends.

What homework did you say you've got?

-History, I think.

-History.

I'll just grab my bag.

Let me give you a hand.

That's what me and Jacub argue a lot about, homework.

The thing is, he's pretty bright, Clive.

-Academically, he does OK.

-Yeah.

He just doesn't like being told what to do.

-Well, I think he'll to get there.

-Yeah, I think he will.

-Yeah.

With me behind him and you behind him I'm sure he'll get there.

-Bye.

-Say, "Bye, Clive."

-Bye.

-Bye, Clive.

-Bye.

Bye. You're tired, aren't you?

It's been good talking about Matthew,

and I think I could him a bit more confidence.

Well, not a bit more confidence, but I could help him...

I don't know, because he seems pretty OK,

but I feel like I could help with his confidence,

and he can help me to choose the right path in school and not to get

distracted outside of school and not give in to peer pressure.

Senior partner Dave loves his garden shed.

Now he thinks if they're going to tackle personal issues,

Old School needs a space it can call its own.

This is meant to be a sort of communal hub

-for us to sort of...

-That would be brilliant.

We're going to be able to meet up and have coffee...

Yeah, well, that's what I thought.

I think that would be a good idea.

-We're going to put you on painting the ceiling.

-Right.

You've got to measure that to get a fix on there.

I think that's better...

Today is the grand opening,

and Dave has more to celebrate than just the shed.

THEY CHEER

Grab a pile of plates and I'll just make sure everybody's got one.

-Thank you very much.

-Enjoy it.

How often would you go to school and see people in their 60s,

their 70s and their 80s sitting having tea,

cakes and drinks with youngsters?

You wouldn't see it, would you?

It's quite a warm glow, listening to the chatter in there.

You know, it's community.

-Yes.

-It's really positive.

There was a turning point today, really,

because there was something there that was tangible -

a place for people to go.

Old School was here it was here to stay,

and that was a lovely feeling for everybody, I think.

How are you getting on with Wes, Dave?

I have had the shock of my life.

The change in the last week has been dramatic.

It's absolutely uplifted me, in regards to the lad himself.

-Yes.

-And he thinks a lot of me. He gave me a hug, you know.

-Oh!

-Yeah, he gave me a hug and I said, "What's that for?"

and he said, "Oh, just cos you're here."

Oh, that's brilliant. You know, in some ways, when you hear that...

That's worth money, that.

It is. If you can get a hug off a young man like that,

it's worth a lot.

It means you're getting through.

And I look at his eyes and...

God, I'd like to help him.

But with exams coming up,

some teachers are worried Old School will hinder, not help.

When I first heard about the Old School project

I think I was quite cautious because it just struck me

that it was a little bit too experimental.

Taking on a lot in exam year could be huge struggle

for some of the students.

We've got some quite vulnerable students at this school,

and they're here for a purpose.

We're clear what that purpose is. We don't want them too distracted.

International studies make us hopeful Old School won't just help

self-esteem and loneliness,

but that it will feed into academic achievement for the young

and have deeper cognitive and even physical impacts for the old.

Charisma's mock English GCSE is looming.

But tonight she is helping her partner Hanif

with his English studies.

So you could talk about how the parents are partly responsible.

Yes, right. I went to school.

This is lower-case T.

Charisma came with her family from the Philippines,

while Hanif is from Pakistan.

It is very frustrating,

as well as embarrassment that I cannot communicate

or speak English with people,

that's why I made my mind up to go to evening classes

and learn English.

11 years of age.

They were 11 years.

They were, yes. See, that's what I need.

Right. That was after long discussions...

You did it. Good job.

He struggles with English and I'm really glad I got to help him

a bit more and correct, politely correct,

some of his mistakes in his work.

I'm going to give you this,

and then we're going to do the numbers in German, OK?

I moved to England when I was two because my mum got a job here

as a nurse.

My mum and dad work different shift times,

so it's really difficult for us to see each other.

The U has this thing on top.

It's really important for everyone in our house

to work as hard as they can. I'm stressed a lot.

All the time, pretty much.

I guess I just put everything behind school.

If you read the question first that's all you're thinking about.

You've got to just get a really good understanding

of the passage first, OK?

Charisma and fellow Old School year 11s Marlon and Chloe

are practising for their GCSE English.

They'll sit the real exam in under a week.

The exam paper that you've done today, you've actually got...

..31. You've gained 11 marks today.

That's an enormous amount, isn't it? Yeah?

Chloe has scraped a D but hopes to do better.

I got 17 marks in the mock, out of 50.

So I think I need, like, 25, maybe, to give a C.

Charisma is pushing herself hard to get an A.

I feel like if I stop learning as hard as I do

I just completely forget it straight away.

And then the exam will come and I'll be like,

"Oh, I don't know what this means."

Because I get really stressed over exams,

and they're probably one of the scariest things I find in school.

While some of our pupils are knuckling down,

ex-nurse Judy has been losing sleep over her partner Toni.

She's missing maybe two or three days of school a week,

which isn't on.

I'm getting a bit worried about her,

so I want to go round and see her and see if I can get...

..any answers and see if I can actually help her.

Our best pairings all have something important in common.

Judy, like Toni, was badly bullied at school.

Hello, Toni, how are you, darling?

-I'm all right, you?

-Fine, thank you.

I've just come round to see how you are.

I'm all right, just feeling crappy.

You're ill, you're actually ill?

What seems to be wrong?

-The flu.

-Flu.

-Oh, dear.

-Just slightly recovering.

I had flu and a bit of a mix between both of them, basically.

Perhaps the bullying, though,

you know, can cause your illnesses.

Yeah, that's what Mum said.

-It stresses you out.

-Yeah.

And the stress on you just stops your immune system completely,

stuffs it all up and you get all kinds of things

and that's what can cause it.

What's been going on, then?

Just as soon as I've come back to school no-one would really

speak to me and I didn't really get why.

I don't know whether it was something I said over text

or something like that, but I think it was just general rumours

-and people basically stirring.

-Right.

As from today I've got a new number.

-Good for you.

-Because, like, you'll get little silly prank calls

and it's just, I'm fed up with it.

Well, I'm hoping that

-you'll soon be coming back to school.

-Yeah.

Right, Toni, I'll let you go in because it's cold.

So I'll say goodnight to you, darling.

I'll see you later.

Don't forget, you're a strong and beautiful person.

-Thank you.

-OK, bye, sweetie.

-See you later.

Yes, I will, darling. Bye-bye.

-Bye.

-Bye.

You sit on this side and I'll come on the other side.

All right.

Like many of our relationships,

just as you think one of the partners is doing all the helping,

the other takes over.

Hanif trained as a driving instructor.

He's arranged a special underage lesson for Charisma,

to help her overcome her anxiety and improve her confidence.

Then you start the car.

OK. Oh, my God.

That's it, that's good.

Now just raise the clutch slowly, and it will start moving.

-OK?

-No!

Handbrake.

Slowly.

Indicator, come on.

-Down?

-Yeah.

Turn left.

Left.

Straight, straight. Steering straight.

That's lovely.

That's nice, that's very nice.

Don't take your hand off the steering wheel.

Sorry.

-Whoa!

-SHE CHUCKLES

We're going so fast!

That's good. That's very good, that's really good.

My driving lesson was probably one of the scariest things

I've ever done in my life,

but Hanif really helped me through it.

He managed to calm me down.

'He taught me how to do it,

'he didn't shout at me when I did something wrong

'or I forgot something.'

And now for the most important question of all.

-How do I stop?

-Clutch in, brake slowly.

That's good, that's very good.

-Handbrake on. See?

-Nailed it.

That's good, that's good, really.

Wes has missed so many classes,

he isn't being allowed to resit his maths GCSE this term.

I met some of your teachers this morning -

not the teachers, your year leader.

You're a boxer and you've been good at boxing

and you've improved, haven't you?

-Yeah.

-How do you reckon you improved?

-You keep going.

-By doing it.

-By doing it, yeah.

So if you use the same scenario to your boxing to your mathematics,

there's only one way to go, isn't there?

Yeah.

OK, so, continuing with...

His partner Dave is forsaking his shed with a new idea -

to join him in a maths class.

See, that's a straight line.

And opposite angles are always the same.

So this one is 30 as well.

Right.

See, I don't know any of that.

'Before Dave coming to class with me,

'I was never going to maths lessons whatsoever.

'Out of the whole week, I had ten maths lessons,

'I think I went to two.

'Then after Dave came, I upped it to eight.'

I don't know,

he's just got this thing about him, which I felt I needed

to prove something to him and do him proud, sort of thing.

But Old School is not just about the old mentoring the young.

This is all new to me.

Did your dad ever take you to the gym or anything?

No.

Never. Didn't give a monkeys.

What he wanted me to do was work.

Didn't you have any dreams that you wanted to do anything?

Oh, I had dreams, like everybody, yeah.

I had the opportunity once of learning to play the piano.

I was over the moon, I couldn't believe it.

It was like the Wizard Of Oz had visited me.

My father just sat there with a blank face and he said,

"If you learn to play the piano, I'll cut your fingers off."

'When my father said that,

'I can't explain the feeling.'

I knew if I challenged it, it was going to be quite a problem.

'So I didn't challenge it,

'and when I went back to the school I made out'

that I didn't want to do it and that was the worst feeling.

I remember going down a field at the back of the school...

..and crying because I had told a pack of lies.

And that was an attitude that went through my life, I can assure you.

I hate him.

Hate like that is not right, is it?

It's not nice.

As the Old School relationships begin to transform,

headmaster Neil is ambitious it can grow.

The Old School project can have a massive impact on our society

and it must continue, it must continue.

In reality, how do we make it continue?

Si, the only way we can really make that happen

is to make sure that it's funded.

'There are huts to build,

'partner meetings to coordinate'

and a costly infrastructure to grow.

Under present funding conditions,

we will have to go out and raise the funds to make sure it's sustainable.

What sort of money would you reckon we were talking about?

The absolute minimum, Dave, we'd need £35,000 plus.

Neil, what's the reality if we don't raise that £35,000?

Basically, the reality is, Si, that the project won't exist.

It's as simple as that.

Wow.

Right. Well, that's pretty final.

It is, it is.

If Old School is to continue,

we'll not only need compelling evidence

to convince other schools to follow,

but to raise money to grow.

But maybe there's an answer.

Our partners' confidence is growing, but are they committed enough

'to raise the money

'and become the most convincing Old School ambassadors?'

How do you think it's going?

-I think it's going great.

-It's going amazing.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

Is it?

We feel like that. Just how would you feel if it was closed?

Because that's the next big challenge for us all, isn't it?

-I wouldn't like it, cos I wouldn't get to see Clive.

-Yeah.

Do you think it feels slightly different to be part of a community

within the school?

It's something that I think

everybody should have the opportunity to be in,

because it's just really benefiting for everybody who takes part in it.

'With his confidence already improving,

'if anyone can persuade people about the value of Old School,

'for me, it's got to be Jacob.'

-You know, I personally think you are flippin' marvellous...

-Yeah.

-..because you're articulate. Do you know what I mean by that?

-No.

I've heard of the game, but that's about it.

All right, OK.

Articulate means that you speak really well and you are very clear.

And we have this big important pitch with the Hamilton Trust

with Michael O'Regan today...

And I want you to be involved.

-OK.

-What we like about you is that you say it.

And it's clear.

So you should be very proud of yourself,

because it's a big thing, this.

-Yeah.

-Go on.

-See you later.

-See you later.

He is pitching to be chair of a charity

more used to dealing with educational professionals

than kids with ADHD.

'Who'd have thought our kids could have taken on something like this

'ten weeks ago?'

-Where's Clive?

-There.

-Is that Clive?

He's cool.

Hey, hello!

-Hello, everybody.

-How are you diddling?

I'm very well, thank you. How's Si?

Let's have a look.

Lift your chin up, man, so I can see you.

Don't forget, from your heart, nothing more.

Hello.

Hi, Mr O'Regan. My name is Jacob.

-Hello, Jacob.

-Hi, Dr Rees.

-Welcome to Old School.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

-Are you going to show us the way?

-Yeah.

You're the star man, I think?

Yeah.

Ever since I met Clive, my very first meeting,

I think that I've started to bond with him a bit more.

I just think of him as one of my closest mates.

Don't say your life story, sort of thing, they just want to know...

Say your name and your age.

While Jacob tries to sell the idea to educational charity,

Wes, Charisma and Kyrone are aiming bigger.

They're off to Oxford United Football Club

to see if they can get some money from the city bigwigs.

Ladies first.

Where shall I go? Thank you.

-I said "Ladies first."

-Thank you.

LAUGHTER

Go on, Miss.

Can you imagine what it's going to feel like if we come out of here

-with the money?

-Yeah.

Or even a helping hand, even.

Do you know what I mean? Anything.

If we come out with anything, it's a bonus.

No, don't give them a get-out clause.

We want the lot.

Wait here, dudes, we're here.

The Community Trust board meeting.

That's it.

'They're meeting the owner of Oxford United,

'the chairman of Network Rail and other captains of industry.'

-This one here?

-Yeah.

Good afternoon. Are you all right?

How is everyone doing, then, today?

Basically, I'm going to be talking about the benefits of the project.

I think that I've come more to realise

that old people aren't so grumpy.

They're basically just like us.

We're fun, aren't we, Jacob?

We have our fun, yes.

Being with Old School, it's just, like...

I can actually finally walk up to people confidently,

knowing they're not going to judge me by the way I look.

We're just, like, a nice, normal kind of dysfunctional family.

We know that old people like to go out for a little drink now and then,

and I'm not talking about water, if you know what I mean.

LAUGHTER

This is me and my partner, Hanif.

This photo it's probably one of our most memorable moments together

because I actually taught him how to send his very first e-mail,

all the way to his family back in Pakistan.

Old people get scared of young people.

They see them with a hoodie.

If the actually partner up with a child,

younger partners can show that they're not always

on the street and are actually being active.

We really want to expand this,

and we want to also make it nationwide

so all other schools can do it.

Thank you so much for having us here.

APPLAUSE

The kids have done amazing pitches

to very, very high-powered, high-profile individuals.

But we have to find some funding

and we're getting to a point where it's pretty desperate.

We need more persuasive evidence Old School works.

We need results.

The dreaded day of the GCSE English exam has finally dawned.

It'll be a test, not only for Chloe, Charisma, and Marlon,

but also Old School.

Will their grades improve on what was expected

and help convince potential funders?

How are you feeling?

Nervous.

The exam is two hours long.

During that two hours, you need to be facing the front at all times.

And you two hours starts now.

Going into the exam, I'd be really nervous, shaking a lot,

then when you actually have to go in and sit down,

and the paper is in front of you...

I look at the clock and it's, like, one hour and I think to myself,

"That's not enough time for this."

And how many phrases did you get for question two?

Three on each.

Three on each. That's fine.

Which bullet point was hard?

Um...three.

OK. But did you have a go at that third one as well?

OK, so you're nice and even.

Hello, how was that?

When you said you didn't finish,

was it just a tiny bit that you didn't do?

-Yeah.

-CHARISMA PANTS

Do you want to sit down here just for a sec first?

Take a seat, Charisma. Do you want to sit down here just for a minute?

Support is at hand.

Old School partner Hanif has come to see how Charisma got on.

Afterwards, after I finished the exam,

I had a panic attack,

because I didn't manage to finish it

and I was really sad about that, so...

I know what this feels like.

You feel very sad, but there is no point.

-We know that it is just done. Gone.

-Yeah.

'We have this mutual understanding when we see each other,'

we talk each other through, you know,

what we really feel like.

'I have noticed he is a lot more confident when he talks,

'with his English especially,'

and I'm really proud of him

and really glad that I was partnered with him.

Thank you very much, very kind of you.

Hello, Jacob.

How are you? Lovely to see you.

With no funding yet in place,

this could be the last chance for Judy and Toni

to help each other within Old School.

Toni!

You all right?

Yes, hello, darling.

How are you feeling today?

Still a bit meh.

-You all right?

-Yes.

Oh, thank God for that.

I was worried about you.

Ooh, I like that colour.

Over their time together,

she has been using their shared love of art

to encourage Toni to open up about her experience of bullying.

I just felt like no-one cared about me

and I was just completely empty.

'I was basically cutting myself

'because I felt inside that this was something I could do with myself.

'It made me feel better for about an hour after,

'and then after that, it just went completely back to normal.'

It was just like everyone hated me and I just didn't understand why.

But for Toni, there was no escape.

When she wasn't at school, she was being bombarded online.

-I'd be on social media, 24/7.

-Was you?

There wouldn't be an hour where I wasn't checking all of them.

And the more you found it's about you,

-upset you more?

-Yeah.

'No-one knows what it's like unless you've been there,

'and I'd been there and I know how hurtful it is

'and how upset you can be.'

You could be that 1% that would actually take their own life.

When I first met you,

you were really confident

and it, like, just influenced me into being like that.

-Oh.

-Like, I wanted to be as confident as you were.

Oh, that's lovely.

'Being able to help her get over this has helped me tremendously,

'because I have got more confidence'

and I feel a lot better in myself than I did.

How about red-hot, eh?

Yeah.

I like the artworks

because it's just the me that was underneath

all the, like, dark places,

and how I really was on the inside and not what I thought I was.

It's made me step back and look at it and think, "That is me".

That's brought my confidence up that little bit more.

We're nearing the end of term, and it's that time of year again.

First thing I saw today was Jacob running towards me.

It was nice to see that reaction.

It's the first time he's showed emotion.

Missed you.

Thank you.

I'm going to have fun with this.

Toni...I bought you a little present.

-Thank you.

-Open it.

-You're going to kill me.

Oh. Oh, darling.

Thank you so much. I told you not to.

-You're welcome.

-I told you not to.

'Throughout the Old School project

'I've had a few friends that have come and gone,

but then Judy's always been there.

It was like she was basically my best friend,

the one that stuck by me.

This has got love and you've to wear that all the time

to show that you love yourself.

-Will you promise me that you'll love yourself?

-Yes.

With term coming to an end,

our scientists are back for re-tests

to see if young and old have really changed.

So, it's exactly the same as last time.

As many words as you can think of beginning with the letter T.

-Right, Tiger.

-Yes.

-Tap.

-Yes.

-Toe.

Token. Tablet.

Tomatoes. Tray.

-Truck.

-Go.

Four, brilliant.

Oh, faster the second time.

Dr Carol Holland from the Centre for Healthy Ageing

has returned to see if there is any improvement.

-Is it still going?

-When you feel ready.

If we don't get the scientific results,

and they're not in our favour, then Old School hasn't worked.

First, we have the results of the mobility tests.

It's gone down, so that means you're getting faster.

People are getting a little bit faster.

-Right.

-So, although it's only a small group

and there's not a lot of stats, we can do on this number of people,

it's in the right direction.

What about the cognitive tests that we did?

This is the autobiographical memory test.

This is an important measure, actually,

because it has relationships with things like depression.

-OK.

-So, the fact that it's gone up, we're delighted.

-I think that's really great.

-It is. It's good.

-I'm really pleased.

-It's clear, isn't it?

The older participants have benefited

from the interaction with the younger.

-That's what we were hoping for.

-Yeah.

So, our senior partners' organisational skills are up by 33%.

And their ability to socialise is up by a massive 40%.

The juniors, too,

are re-sitting the self esteem tests they did at the beginning.

Off you go.

Most were originally chosen, because they struggled

with issues like lack of confidence.

They may seem happier, but will better confidence show in the tests?

Before, I was really nervous,

I wouldn't go into a crowd and I wouldn't speak to people.

But now, I can go up to someone, I can say hello to them,

I can have a full-on conversation in the middle of the street,

which I'm proud about.

My anger's calmed down and so has my ADHD,

so I'm not as hyper as I would be, I'm not as angry as I would be.

So, yeah, I think that ultimately has helped me with my confidence.

Definitely.

As well as the test scores,

we now have the school's own records for attendance,

academic attainment and behaviour.

Oh, yes!

Hello, gang. All right, teamies?

-We've got your results.

-Yeah.

The results are really pretty stunning.

-For example.

-Go on.

I mean, Tony.

You know the self esteem?

-Yes.

-Right? You were -1.

You are now 61, which is twice the average.

So, Judy, whatever you're doing, please keep it up, darling,

-because it's great.

-It is, it's fantastic.

Wes. Wes.

So, attendance.

-Up.

-How much?

From 60.3 to 88.6.

That is excellent. APPLAUSE

-It's working. It's working.

-Keep doing it.

-Jacob.

-Yeah.

So...

..achievement points.

It was seven.

It's now 26.

-Wow!

-It's 26.

So, Clive, great, great job.

It's testament to you both, and these aren't made up.

-No.

-These are tangible, tangible results.

We're even more determined now

that we need the funding to secure Old School,

so the relationships go on.

Having had such great success with our first participants,

we have to secure Old School's future,

so more of this community can benefit, and, we hope,

others around the country.

As the results have shown,

Wes' school attendance has significantly improved,

as well as his work and confidence.

Partner Dave has invited him round for a cuppa.

-Hi, David.

-Hello, Wes, how are you, mate?

-Good, thank you.

-Good to see you.

-And you.

Would you like a cup of tea, Wes?

Yes, please, David, that would be nice.

-How'd you like your tea?

-Milky with two sugars, please.

I've only had five this morning.

WES LAUGHS

Look, I've got a little something for you.

I don't want you to be embarrassed.

If it ain't right, that's not a problem, we can deal with it.

First thing, I got this off the web.

I suspect you've got hundreds of them.

-How did you get that?

-I didn't know that existed.

-Didn't you?

-No, I didn't.

-There you are, I got that framed for you.

-Oh, thank you, David.

-Didn't you know it existed on the web?

-No, I didn't.

It's on your club website.

Anyway, I thought I'd do it, so that you've got something to...

Because we're proud of that.

-Yeah, I'll treasure that, thanks.

-Very good. Well, look.

What I've done is...

And don't look at the labels yet.

Got you a sweatshirt to put on or put around your shoulders.

Oh, you shouldn't have, mate, thank you.

-I appreciate it.

-It's just small.

-Thank you.

I'm glad you like your picture.

-Yeah, and the jumper, thank you.

-I didn't know whether to do it or not.

But the big question is still,

can we persuade other people to fund this, so it can grow?

It's the end of term and, with the evidence in,

we now want to get all our partners together for one final try.

We've invited funders, educationalists,

and heads from all around the country.

Tie done, shirt done.

Yeah, shirt done, tie on.

We need you to look sharp, man.

I need you to look sharp today, because I'm nervous, as well.

All right? So, today, out of all days, got to focus,

got to be sharp, got to concentrate.

-All that rubbish out your pockets.

-Yeah.

Good lad.

Buttoned or not? What do you think?

I've gone tie-less, because I thought it's daytime.

-Yeah.

-Do you know what I mean?

-I want to be a bit kind of, like, smart but casual.

-Casual.

-Yeah.

-No, I think unbuttoned, Kingy, because if we want to go...

And we are all equals,

it's going to be more impressive if the jacket flares,

rather than stays like that.

TOILET FLUSHES

Caught you red-handed!

No, we're getting ourselves spruced up.

Coming to hear them, representatives of various Government departments,

charities, council leaders and even trust fund managers.

-We have you on table eight.

-Table eight?

-Yeah.

Phew!

Can't be scaring me like that.

And it's pleasing to see one or two familiar faces.

We've never been part of anything

that's as potentially important as this.

And, to be honest, we're seriously bricking it.

This school has been through some really tough times

in the recent past.

And so has our community.

Unless you believe in your community,

unless the community believes in you,

I think it makes it really, really difficult

to improve your school.

Besides the results, our partners are our best advertisement.

I really struggled with my confidence

before Old School started.

I suffered really bad panic attacks,

especially when I had to talk to people.

So to be able to be here right now and talk in front

of all you guys, it's a really big step for me.

I did it actually for me, initially, because

I had a big void in my life, because my parents passed away.

I just didn't know what to do with myself.

-So I've adopted Chloe, because I haven't got any children of my own.

-LAUGHTER

So, her mother said I could borrow her for a few years.

When I came here and I met my little girl, Tony,

I think that helping her has helped me.

We all meet all together,

we're like a family, like a community.

Even when we're not together,

we're phoning each other to make sure everybody's all right.

When I had my first partner, his name was Rick,

we never really got to have a meeting, sadly.

After that, I was offered by lovely Dave.

Thank you for being my partner.

-Thank you.

-We did all this stuff together,

and he's a top-notch lad, he is.

That's the nicest thing anybody's ever said to me.

The reason why they joined was to get more knowledge and experience,

and what better knowledge and experience to get from an old man?

-Sorry, Dave.

-LAUGHTER

I don't know whether you'd like me to say this,

but Dave really cares about me, I think.

And I really care about Dave.

The experience that we've been through -

-and sorry, Other Gramps...

-LAUGHTER

..Dave feels like a third grandpa to me.

So, yeah, thank you.

This has taught me a lesson.

I found a very caring relationship with a particular person that I was

paired with, Wes, who happens to be nearly bringing me to tears -

I'm having difficulty talking, because of what he said.

I didn't know the impact I'd have on his values,

but he's certainly had an impact on mine.

It's something that I would have never experienced.

I would never have realised how important it was

to actually involve ourselves with young people

in the way that we've been able to do in this project.

It goes back the other way. Thank you.

It also means that you have a generation of young people who,

-at the moment...

-The thing we did about boxing, as well.

Lovely to see you again.

Really, really impressive and moving to sit in the audience

and to hear your stories.

Absolutely everybody performed at their absolute best today.

-Yeah, they did.

-And it was a pressured, pressured environment.

I tell you what, though - if they turn round

and don't give us the money,

I'll be surprised and I'll be gutted.

It's the 20th of January,

five months since we began, and our last day here.

For our kids, it's a very important day.

You know what, mate? I've got a really warm, rosy, cosy glow.

-I'm looking forward to seeing the gang.

-Yeah, me, too.

I just hope we've still got a warm,

rosy glow when we get the exam results.

Yeah...

Good GCSE results might be coming too late for our big pitch,

but they could help further underline success.

And they're flaming important for the kids, as well.

Good morning. How are you?

Almost on time, that's brilliant.

-Good morning.

-Good morning. Good morning, fellas.

-Good to see you, as always.

-You too.

-How are you?

It's results day. How do you feel on results day?

Honestly, I get unbelievably nervous before the results come.

Genuinely, I won't sleep for about two or three days.

Really, it's a nerve-racking day. It's a tense day all round.

In some ways, when its GCSE results day -

and I don't know if you feel this - you can almost feel the tension.

-You can.

-It's a different place today.

It is a very different place.

When Dave and I literally have walked through the door,

you can feel it's oscillating with apprehension.

Yes, it is.

Obviously, we know that Charisma's involved in the project.

The last time that we did an exam,

it didn't quite go how Charisma expected it to.

She has an enormously high standard.

Enormously high standards, and she might need looking after today.

So keep a really close eye on her, I'd really appreciate it

-if you could do that.

-No, no, thanks for the heads up.

I'm really hoping that the results today,

that you get what you deserve and it reflects the hard work that both you

and the teachers have put in.

Not only am I really nervous, I know you're really nervous,

but I know the guys are really nervous, too,

because they are getting the results of the Old School project.

So, for them, it's also a really big day.

Are we ready?

This is killing me.

You got to open it up.

Five, four, three, two, one.

Go on.

Oh!

What did you get?

Yes!

-I got the As.

-What did you get, an A*?

An A.

Congratulations!

What did you get?

-I got a B.

-Yes!

That is brilliant.

We were going to ask you how you feel,

but I think your face says it all.

I am over the moon.

I was so scared, we were all so scared.

We always are, leading up to these results.

If it's not being too nosy, what grades were Chloe,

Charisma and Marlon expected to get?

All three were expected to get a C. That was their target grade.

Do you know what's wonderful? What's wonderful,

the sense of joy in this room is overwhelming.

-And Marlon!

-Congratu... Marlon!

-Marlon's on the ceiling.

-That reaction, that just shows how much this means to him.

-Yes.

-I've just got a big lump in me throat.

-I feel quite... Yeah.

-So, look at you. You've gone up two grades.

-Mmm.

An anticipated C, and then you get a big...

-A.

-..fat A.

Get in!

-You need to tell your partner now.

-Yeah, I do!

-Yeah!

I bet he's going to be so pleased.

-Do you think it's helped, that relationship?

-Yeah.

He always tells me that I need to be more confident with myself.

And I do really well, and I never really say that,

but he always reminds me of it.

Not only have we seen the partnerships grow and develop

and the effects on them directly, but actually,

there are huge benefits to the whole school,

because of that ripple effect from the project.

We just see standards going up and up and up.

There's a surprise visitor joining the celebrations.

Michael O'Regan from the education charity.

-Oh! JACOB:

-Hello, you horrible lot.

-Nice to see you again.

-Hello, Mr O'Regan.

I was part of the audience at a very moving presentation

about what Old School partnerships had brought you.

So, I'm very pleased to say that Hamilton Trust

-is making a donation of £15,000.

-ALL: Yes!

-Yes!

-Oh, wow.

Oh, that is amazing.

-Jacob, you happy to look after it?

-Yeah.

Well done to all of you.

I felt quite proud of myself, excited.

I almost cried. I'm not a wuss, so I ALMOST cried,

because I know that I'd been in that pitch

and I know that I was part of... I was part of getting that money.

We hope it's just the first tranche of money

that will enable Old School to carry on and grow.

The experiment has worked beyond our best hopes,

helping two of the loneliest and least confident parts of society

to help each other.

Our partners here will be carrying on,

and we hope other schools around the country will join them.

Before we go, Wes,

the tough lad who learned how to box to protect himself,

has done something Dave has been waiting for for 60 years.

-Where are we going, Wes?

-I've got a bit of a surprise for you.

A few stairs for your old legs.

I know, I've got to be careful here,

because they don't care too much about being oldies.

No, it'll be worth it when you get to the top.

When you told me about your dad not wanting you to give piano lessons,

-not letting you have piano lessons...

-Yeah?

I thought, everyone needs a chance,

an opportunity to do what they want in life.

And...

I felt like I needed to give you an opportunity to do

-what you wanted to do, so I got you a piano lesson.

-Aw!

So it's this one, this one, this one. Yeah?

Yeah, brilliant.

Brilliant. Ready? Let's give it a go again.

THEY PLAY A 12-BAR BLUES

What a gentle, enlightened thing to do.

And all your fingers are going to play those ones.

Yeah?

Just because you're old,

doesn't mean that you stop dreaming about doing stuff.

Ba, ba.

And again.

Ba, ba. And again.

Ba, ba. Good, so are you going to do?

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.