Ever wondered how a GCSE pupil would cope with swapping his comfortable life for the discipline of a 1950s education?

Well, a television experiment will show Rob Hudson step through a time-warp and exchange his jeans for an itchy uniform and mobile phone for paper and pen.

The 17-year-old from Harden was among 30 bright pupils put through the rigours of O-levels and boarding school life for Channel Four's That'll Teach 'Em: Boys versus Girls .

Rob spent a month in Swindon at 'Charles Darwin Grammar School', a school mocked up to give a taste of a 50s-style classroom.

Boys and girls were separated and luxuries such as chocolate, personal stereos and computers were banned. Rob was even denied his beloved hair wax.

"That was the really tough bit, because I like my hair to look nice," he said.

"I had to have a short back and sides and got Brylcreem to comb a flat side parting."

He said the staff of real life teachers and matron stood no nonsense and the threat of being yelled at or punished was ever present.

"Generally, it was really hard to keep your attention because you were always expecting the teacher to scream at you," he remembered. "One of the lads ended up getting expelled on the Monday before we were going home. He couldn't handle the discipline idea. He was laughing at the teachers and making jokes and behaving like people do now."

Viewers will see how Rob and the other boys measured up to the girls as they sit O-levels in maths, English and science.

And unlike today, where interactive whiteboards and illustrated hand-outs are the norm, Rob's instruction was distinctly old-school.

"You'd sit there for what seemed like hours listening to the teacher and making notes. There was hardly any interaction.

"It was pretty harsh, partly because it's just not like school now, but I actually got into it. I enjoyed it in a funny way."

But adjusting took a while thanks to Rob's distance from mum Carol and his three sisters at home.

"I didn't think when we were driving down to Swindon about what I was getting myself in for.

"But when the headteacher said we had two minutes to say goodbye to our families I knew it was serious.

"We were living the boarding school life, 24/7 for four weeks. If we wanted treats they had to be sneaked in. A lot of people managed to get stuff through, but I didn't.

"We had a laugh hiding contraband like chocolate up the chimney and under floorboards. But Matron searched the dorm one time and when we came back the curtains were pulled back and everything was in disarray.

"She found everything apart from an iPod. The camera crew must have tipped her off."

As punishment, Rob and friends were forced to run around the massive sports field five times.

Rob kept his nose clean, putting him in the running to become Head Boy. But the rival candidate, James, spoiled it for himself when during a 3am punishment the teacher asked if they wanted to do a run.

"James took him literally and just ran off. We were pretty mad because we just wanted to get to bed."

Rob, now studying travel and tourism at Craven College, Skipton, said he would repeat the experience - despite hardships such as being allowed only two showers a week.

"If they make another I'd definitely tell people to go for it. I had no friends in the place at the start and now I've got 29.

"It gave me a really interesting insight into how things were back then. I'm not saying it was better, but it was definitely different.

"I was actually sorry when I had to leave."

Mrs Hudson said: "I was a little worried about Rob being away from home, but he's very outgoing and made friends easily.

"It showed him the things that younger people now take for granted."

That'll Teach 'Em starts tomorrow at 9pm.