The long hot summer of 2003 and the news headlines yet once again berate the standards of Education in the United Kingdom.

However this year something different was underway. Channel Four television had commissioned a programme, which took 30 pupils back to a mock 1950's style school.

These pupils had just finished their GCSE exams and many had predicted grades of A or A*.

They were to board at the school and have four weeks of 50's style lessons as well as enduring the living conditions, food and discipline of the era.

At the end of the four weeks they were given a partial GCE 'O' Level exam that was marked to the standards of the 50's.

The results were very revealing but how ever caused much more debate on the Channel Four website.

Please read through the articles about the series and you may then be able to reach your own conclusion on this issue. You are welcome to argue the case in our forums here as well.