Headteacher Gary Phillips works with the Deputy Head and Head of English to get English GCSE results as high as possible. He speaks to civil servants, and deals with day-to-day school issues, as the pressure to raise standards mounts.
Lilian Baylis Technology School, south London, one of the DCSF's National Challenge schools, needs to raise the number of students gaining five A*-C above the 30 per cent mark. Gary gives extra support to the English department, and encourages talented students to take their exams early.
Gary gives a talk to senior civil servants, including DCSF permanent secretary David Bell, and asks hard-hitting questions about their role in managing schools.
He also concentrates on the day-to-day issues in school, debating the difference between a trainer and a school shoe with a colleague in an effort to raise uniform standards.
This programme is part of a series following headteacher Gary Philips over the course of a school year, as he strives to improve GCSE results in a challenging secondary school.
