The first episode sees the school facing an uncertain future, with talk that it will be closed at the end of the term.
Ian George is hired by the governors of Hope Park to assess the school and provide advice on whether it should
stay open. He finds that morale among both staff and students is low, and the school has a large teaching staff 
turnover. The head teacher, Neil Bruce (Peter Davison), has little time for the students and responds to student
problems with the phrase 'End of story'. George tours the school and finds that it has one of the best-equpped
music rooms of any London public school, but the equipment is not being used because no music teacher will 
work there. Meanwhile, the sixth-form room has been destroyed by fire and not replaced, but as Bruce says, the
school only has a handful of sixth-form students anyway. George has been offered a highly-paid government job,
complete with his own luxury car, and despite please from the chair of governors to take on Hope Park, he is
determined to take the government job. However, when Bruce has a breakdown at his farewell party (with the 
students chanting 'end of story') and tells the students exactly what he thinks of them, George realises that his
future is at Hope Park.

The verdict: 'Hope and Glory' is an excellent drama that does a great job of portraying the challenges of teaching in
the British public school system at the end of the 20th century. The scenes set in George's own well-equipped school,
where the students are keen to learn and all wear uniforms, are in stark contrast to the air of neglect and disinterest 
at Hope Park. Peter Davison is only in the first episode, but his character's farewell speech is memorable and gives 
him a chance to excel in a role that is very different to the comedy-drama shows that he is best known for. Bruce's
departure from Hope Park, walking past the crowd of hostile students while grimly clutching his gift of an electronic 
organiser and accompanied by classical music, is a superb piece of drama. But Lenny Henry is the star of the show,
and proves that he can act in serious roles rather than just the comedy for which he is best known. The series is
rather reminiscent of 'Hearts and Minds', and has similar themes. Watch and enjoy. End of story.