Man Alive

The Children's Charter (1975x8)

Air date: Mar 22, 1975

The Children's Charter - that was how the 1944 Butler Education Act was heralded in post-war Britain. For the first time the State would provide free secondary education for all. The aim was ' Equality of Opportunity.' Thirty years on Desmond Wilcox leads an investigation into the fairness and effectiveness of our state schools; and examines the controversies which surround the changing ideas, structures and teaching methods experienced by two generations of Butler children. Jeremy James , with a film team, reports on the educational experiences of three families in Leicester, Sheffield and Coventry.