3. Wartime & Depression

Alan Johnson looks back to the First World War and 1930s depression years with a visit to the Southwark Museum in search of attendance medals.

Many entries in the headmaster's log book lament poor attendance, with pupils staying off school because they have no shoes - or their boots have so many holes they won’t stand up to the rain.

The attendance medals, which spanned Queen Victoria’s reign through to the post-war years, were substantial bronze awards for attendance, punctuality and excellence.

The school archive reveals the impact of the war years as Alan reads the roll of honour.

Former 1930s pupil Iris Kimber remembers how hard those years were and, as a four year old, walked several miles after school with her older sister to get food from the "relieving office" - the equivalent of today's food bank.

But she also recalls the measures taken to improve pupils' health including lining up for "dollops" of malt extract every school morning.

Series in which the former Education Secretary tells the story of English education over the last 140 years through the prism of one school - St Michael and All Angels in Camberwell, London.

Over the decades, it’s undergone many transformations, including names, in response to changes in policy, but its purpose has remained constant - to provide decent and free education to local children.

The story is told through original documents – from headmasters’ logs and inspection reports – and the testimony of the children and teachers who went there.

It’s as much a social history of inner-city life down the ages as it is a study of our attempts to educate the children of poor families.

Producer: Sara Parker
Executive Producer: Samir Shah

A Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in February 2019.