Tier Blundell was never a bad kid. He was bright and curious, but also disruptive. Growing up sandwiched between two cultures, he felt excluded from society. Those feelings were amplified when aged 11, Tier was informed by his school that he would not be welcome back following the summer holidays – instead being sent to a Pupil Referral Unit. He left there with no qualifications and a sense of shame, until the day he put on a suit, turned up for an unscheduled meeting and demanded another go at learning — the results of which are staggering.

Tier tells Dr Sian Williams his story, and why he demanded a reckoning with the education system.