Jump to content

That'll Teach 'Em

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That'll Teach 'Em
Also known asThat'll Teach 'Em Too (2004)
That'll Teach 'Em: Boys Versus Girls (2005-06)
GenreDocumentary series
Reality TV Show
Created bySimon Rockell[1]
Narrated byJohn Sessions (Series 1)
Paul McGann (Series 2)
Richard E. Grant (Series 3)
ComposerDaniel Pemberton
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series3
No. of episodes15
Production
Running time60 minutes (including advertisements)
Production companyTwenty Twenty
Original release
NetworkChannel 4
Release5 August 2003 (2003-08-05) –
2 May 2006 (2006-05-02)

That'll Teach 'Em is a British historical reality documentary series produced by Twenty Twenty Television for the Channel 4 network in the United Kingdom.

Concept

[edit]

Each series follows around 30 teenage students who have recently completed their GCSEs as they are taken back to a 1950s/1960s style British boarding school. The show sets out to analyse whether the standards that were integral to the school life of the time could help to produce better exam results, when compared to the current GCSE results and to compare certain contemporary educational methods with modern ones (e.g. vocational vs. academic focus for the less "gifted").[1]

As part of the experience, the participants are expected to board at a traditional school house, abiding by strict discipline, adopting to 1950s/1960s diet and following a strict uniform dress code, the only difference being the absence of corporal punishment as it was made illegal in all state schools in Britain in 1986, and in all private schools in England and Wales in 1998. Because of that, other strict punishments, most notably writing lines and essays and holding up heavy items for a certain amount of time were used instead. Throughout the series, a number of students have either been expelled for misconduct, or have chosen to leave the school voluntarily.[2]

After four weeks, the students then take their final exams, produced to the same standard as contemporary GCE O Levels and CSEs.

There were three series of the show, the first airing in August 2003 (recreating a 1950s grammar school and featuring academically high-achieving pupils),[2] the second in August 2004 (a 1960s secondary modern and the pupils academically average or poor) [3] and the third and final series in April 2006 (a 1950s grammar school with high-achieving pupils again, this time focusing on practical sciences and with single-sex classes).

Series overview

[edit]

Series 1 (2003)

[edit]

The first series of the show was filmed over 4 weeks in July and August 2003, at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe. It featured 15 boys and 15 girls who had just sat their GCSEs and mostly did well, though some failed. The school was branded as 'King's School'.[2]

Known Teachers Subject
Mr Andrew MacTavish Headmaster
Mr Tony Perry Deputy Head/Housemaster/Science
Ms Pat Crowe Matron/Housemistress
Mr Peter Daplyn Gym/Disciplinarian/Shower-Master
Mr Geoffrey Heath Music
Dr Elizabeth Pidoux English/Housemistress
Mr Simon Rockell History
Mr Austin Vince Mathematics/CCF (Combined Cadet Force)
Mr Simon Warr Latin/French
Boys Girls
Harry Elgood Clare Dery
Nic Hall Seraphina Evans
Colum Hughes Nichola Greenhalgh
Freddie Hutchins Henrietta Haines
Tom Jewell Victoria Julien
Richard Mylles Hina Khan
Rajay Naik Kathryn McGeough (Head Girl)
Blaine Pike Holly McGuire
Ryan Smithson Emma Pinchbeck
Andrew Stratton (Head Boy) Harriet Rykens
Matthew Sweeney Hannah Smith
Ali Unwin Frances Weaver
Simon Waller Tarot Wells
Andy Walne Rebecca Woodward
Joe McCready Nadia Freeman

Joe McCready was expelled during the series for persistent bad behaviour and disrespect. In episode 3, Nadia Freeman chose to leave the school voluntarily due to the food. In the fourth episode, Mr Perry served as acting headmaster owing to Mr MacTavish being unwell at the time.

Series 2 (2004)

[edit]

The second series of the show, called That'll Teach 'Em Too, was also filmed at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe in August 2004[4] and was known as 'Hope Green Secondary Modern'[3] This was the only series set in the 1960s.

Known Teachers Subject
Mr Richard Fawcett Headmaster/Geography
Mr Maurice Pirotte Deputy Head/Housemaster/Rural Science
Miss Jeanette Gibson English/Housemistress/Pianist
Mr Lee Austin Gym/Disciplinarian
Mr Andre Baker Wrestling
Mr Barnes Chief Examiner/Test Tutor
Ms Pat Crowe Matron/Housemistress
Ms Jackie Dunn Needlework
Ms Janet Faherty Dance
Mr Neil Garner Guitarist/Music
Miss Kirby-Jones Home Economics Examiner
Mrs Cherilyn Lloyd-Jones Domestic Science/Home Economics/Cookery
Mr John Nosworthy Bricklaying
Mr Francis Peacock History and Tutor
Mr Thomas Smith Woodwork
Mr Austin Vince Mathematics/Automotive/Scouts/Tutor
Mrs Cornelia Welham Touch Typing/Religious Studies
Boys Girls
Perry Goyen (Head Boy) Stevie Harman (Head Girl)
Ben Barber Emily Apari
Andrew Brown Hannah Benjamin
Josh Davis Charlotte Difone
Adam Doyle Avril Hardy
Daniel Gallagher Nikki Hollingworth
Luke Graham Maureen Islam
Harvey Herdman Rosie Knight
Christopher Hobin Kasi Kulon
Shina Oniwinde Charlotte Neild
Alex Roberts Sara Roadknight
Harry Rowe Erin Tate
Franklin De Santi Holly
Lewis Davis Aliss Hadley
Sophia Madisonte

Sophia chose to leave the school voluntarily due to her poor behaviour. Though it was never shown, Aliss Hadley, Lewis Davis and Holly left as well for undisclosed reasons. This was the only series in which no students were expelled. Most students only passed 1 CSE. Like Series 1, 15 boys and 15 girls entered the school at the start, and 26 finished.

Series 3 (2005–06)

[edit]

Series 3 was filmed during August 2005 at St Joseph's College in Ipswich, and broadcast during the following April. The series returned to the setting of a 1950s grammar school. The school was branded as 'Charles Darwin Grammar' and focused predominately on practical sciences. It also experimented with boys and girls being taught separately.[5] The languages teacher in series 1, Simon Warr, took on the role of headmaster in Series 3.[6][7]

Known Teachers Subject
Mr Simon 'S.R.' Warr Headmaster/Classical civilisation
Mr James Williams Deputy Head/Housemaster/Biology
Miss Jeanette Gibson English
Mr David Stanley[8] Music/Tutor/Disciplinarian
Dr Andrew Szydlo Chemistry
Dr Peter Wilde Physics/Housemaster
Miss Anabelle Bryant Housemistress/Gym (Girls)
Miss Carter Mathematics/Tutor/Housemistress
Ms Pat Crowe Matron/Disciplinarian
Mr Tomms Gym (Boys)
Sgt Allen CCF (Combined Cadet Force)
Mrs Turner Laboratory Assistant
Boys Girls
Rob Hudson (Head Boy) Victoria Buxton (first Head Girl)
Nathan Anidugbe Sally Rushton (second Head Girl)
Philip Donald Jessica Boulton
Hugh Gilroy Francesca Bruce
Brennon Gunston Anna Clift
Chris Hedley Hollie Dearman
William Ho Kayleigh Durman
James Ingram Amy Jampa-Ngoen
Sebastian Jefford Ruby Lally
John Kemple Rosie Morton
Luke Mills Jenny Ritzman
Scott Peters Corrine Stewart
Michael Petkov Meng-Yuan Sun
Qadeer Razaque Ashleigh Walters
Joe Seath Emily Williams
Simon Taylor Samantha Wyvill

Scott Peters was expelled during the series for persistent bad behaviour and disrespect, and Brennon Gunston, Rosie Morton and Amy Jampa-Ngoen chose to leave the school voluntarily, although Mr Warr gave Amy his explicit blessing to leave due to her poor conduct record. After failing to stop some girls from using the telephone in the laundry room, Victoria Buxton was forced to step down from her position as Head Girl, and her role was filled by Sally Rushton. In addition, Brennon Gunston and Rosie Morton were replaced with Joe Seath and Francesca Bruce respectively. In the academic competition between the girls and the boys, the girls won overall, and most students only managed to pass one O Level.

That'll Test 'Em

[edit]

For the third series, a spin-off series, That'll Test 'Em, aired on More4 after the main programme. It saw pupils featured in the That'll Teach 'Em episode just aired being quizzed in competition with their parents on topics that they should have known well after their time in 1950s/1960s education.

International versions

[edit]

The format from the series has been adapted in eight countries: France, Spain, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands and Russia. The international rights are distributed by DRG.

Country Title TV channel(s) Seasons Distribution
 United Kingdom
(original format)
That'll Teach 'Em Channel 4 3
  • 5 August 2003 – 2 September 2003
  • 24 August 2004 – 21 September 2004
  • 4 April 2006 – 2 May 2006
 France Le Pensionnat M6 3
  • 2 September 2004 – 7 October 2004
  • 1 September 2005 – 13 October 2005
  • 30 September 2013 – 21 October 2013
 Norway Internatet TV Norge 1
  • 14 September 2005 – 16 November 2005
 Norway Feriekolonien TVNorge 1
  • 11 January 2007 – 15 March 2007
 Belgium (Flanders) De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig SBS
VT4
3
  • November 2006
  • 11 October 2007
  • 2008
 Belgium (Flanders) Dat Zal Ze Leren! VTM 1
  • 23 March 2011 – 18 May 2011
 Netherlands Dat Zal Ze Leren! RTL 5 1
  • 4 September 2006 – 30 October 2006
 Spain Curso del 63
Curso del 73
Antena 3
neox
2
  • 6 October 2009 – 10 November 2009
  • 2 September 2012 – 30 September 2012
 Germany Die harte Schule der 50er Jahre ZDF 1
  • 19 May 2005 – 9 June 2005
  Switzerland Das Internat – Schule wie vor 50 Jahren SF DRS 1
  • 25 July 2005 – 15 August 2005
 Italy Il collegio Rai 2 8
  • 2 January 2017 – 13 January 2017
  • 26 September 2017 – 17 October 2017
  • 12 February 2019 – 12 March 2019
  • 22 October 2019 – 26 November 2019
  • 27 October 2020 – 15 December 2020
  • 26 October 2021 – 14 December 2021
  • 18 October 2022 – 29 November 2022
  • 24 September 2023 – 5 November 2023
 Russia Колледж
Kolledzh
STS 1
  • 15 March 2021 – 12 May 2021

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Shaw, Michael (5 March 2004). "That'll teach 'em about the Sixties". Times Educational Supplement. London. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Webb, James (29 August 2003). "Behind the scenes at That'll Teach 'Em". Bucks Free Press. High Wycombe. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b Garner, Richard (17 September 2011). "Pupils learn about Sixties education the hard way". The Independent. London. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  4. ^ Shaw, Michael (13 August 2004). "Days of chalk and sideburns". Times Education Supplement. London. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  5. ^ Aldred, Jessica (6 April 2006). "Is there a real lesson here?". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  6. ^ Slater, Jack (22 February 2020). "Simon Warr's career from Channel 4's That'll Teach 'Em to Presumed Guilty". Metro. London. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  7. ^ Geater, Paul (22 February 2020). "Suffolk broadcaster Simon Warr has died". East Anglian Daily Times. Ipswich. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  8. ^ "David Stanley". The Music Man Project UK. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
[edit]