Pupil who turned his life around ... by living with classmate’s strict Sri Lankan mum
‘Biggest factor is parents’
AFTER making the perilous journey from Sri Lanka in a shipping container, Priyanka was determined her family would seize every opportunity of a better life in Britain.
Prizing education above all else, she was never likely to allow her children to slack off their homework and go out drinking like many teenagers here.
And it seems other parents could learn a thing or two from her approach after her strict household regime transformed an underperforming 15-year- old into a model pupil. The boy, Jack, was often late for school on account of his partying and rarely did his homework.
But his grades soared after he was invited to experience life in Priyanka’s home, which included early bed times and a strictly enforced twohour study period every night.
The transformation is a vindication of the traditional parenting methods that have seen many Asian nations rise up the international league tables for education – but which are ignored by many British parents as the UK falls behind. Priyanka admitted she was ‘shocked’ by the idea of Jack, whose mother works long hours for the London Ambulance Service, staying out until midnight for a party, and the prospect of pupils drinking and smoking. Warning the teenager to stop taking his opportunities for granted, she said: ‘You are so lucky to live in the UK.’
Priyanka’s regime features in a documentary, Living with the Brainy Bunch, to be shown on Thursday on BBC 2. It follows underperforming teenagers at Chessington Community School in Kingston- uponThames, south-west London, who were invited to live with high-flying classmates in a bid to boost their GCSE grades.
The experiment – organised by Ash Ali, headmaster of the school – saw the results of struggling teenagers shoot up in less than two months.
As they followed the routines, discipline and rules of their host families – family dinners with no mobiles, early bedtimes, homework schedules, breakfast before leaving the house and curfews – their behaviour and confidence also improved.
Jack had scored 37 per cent in a mock maths GCSE prior to the house swap. He was often late for school and had dozens of detentions.
After taking another exam living in the household presided by Priyanka, he climbed several grades. She told the documentary of her journey to Europe from Sri Lanka in a shipping container with 13 other people nearly 25 years ago and her unwavering ambition for her children to experience a better life and a good education.
As a result, Jack benefited from the same study regime that has seen Priyanka’s son Tharush hit the top of the class instead of spending his days glued to his Xbox. As well as two hours of revision a night after family dinner, Jack was also tucked up in bed by 10.30pm – meaning he arrived at school on time and avoided any more detentions,
Jack’s classmate, Hollie, who scored 22 per cent in her mock maths GCSE, also excelled after joining the home of Chessington’s head girl, Holly H.
She often wandered out of class when bored but was forced to knuckle down because the household was run as ‘a tight ship’ by Holly H’s parents, Kirsten and David, who discuss Shakespeare plays over family dinners. Kirsten said: ‘We have rules. No drinking, no smoking. Homework should be done on time. No mobile phones at the table and regular bedtimes. And no really means no.’
Head teacher Mr Ali encouraged parents to consider the impact of ‘routine and aspiration’, saying: ‘The biggest factor on why some kids do well is parental influence.
‘It is not easy being a parent in the 21st century, but, if you want the results, you have to put the hard work in.’