Ahead of the Class with Julie Walters Tonight ITV1

[RTKangaMummy]

Ahead of the Class

Drama with Julie Walters

ITV1 9pm

Tonight

is it good?
how come you are such a tv freak?
do you watch lal of thes progs?

oh love julie walters

looks good but have to watch the bachelor on bbc3 at the same time best show on tv

I'm looking forward to it, I like Julie Walters.

Kanga - when is nip/tuck coming on, I know it's moved to sky - I'm frightened I'll miss Julian!

Based on Marie Stubbs' novel. Top-draw drama as a headteacher saves an inner-city school from closure

Coddy I watch most of them while mumsnetting

I just like to help people so they don't miss programmes they were looking forward to because they are on Mumsnet.

based on the true story- when Stephen Lawrence (head teacher)was stabbed to death outside the school in London, later school on special measures, then a retired head took over and turned school around - Julie Walters plays the retired head.

really want to watch this as I did a short teaching practice in this school (a long time ago)and it put me off teaching!

42 mins

18 mins

5 mins

Did anyone see this?

Yes. We didn't make it to the end I'm afraid. Julie Walters was brilliant as always but the story was full of cliches and not presented in a believable way.

If not for JW we would have given up ages before.

I thought it was very uplifting

I have to say, I thought it was uplifting as well - even though there were plenty of cliches, the point was it was a true story, she really did turn the school round that quickly and that successfully.

But the thought that this is what schools can be like made me feel quite ill .

I'm glad she turned the school around so successfully, but I can't believe it was represented correctly.

It just didn't seem believable to us. Obviously it did happen, but I don't think it could have been an accurate representation of exactly how it happened. Real people just don't behave like that.

I was looking forward to this but thought it had far too many cheesey moments in it. Julie Walters was great but the script needed some help. I kept expecting the kind of background music you get in those true story films that Channel 5 shows in the afternoons.

I enjoyed this too. I want to buy the book now . She struck me as a very inspirational woman.

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

It took 18 months to 'do' what took 2 hours in the film, so things were abbreviated.

I call my pupils 'children' sometimes, because they are. I also call them ladies and gentlemen, because many of them are and I want the rest to be too.

They are not adults and while I always treat then with respect it isn't helpful to treat them as adults.

I read about this and wanted to watch it, but saw trailers and Julie Waters character reminded me too much of Acorn Antiques and I just couldn't face it

hmb, did the behaviour in the school bear any resemblance to what happens in yours?

Did anyone tape this?