Teacher, Teacher!

A funny, heart-warming and semi-autobiographical story in the tradition of James Herriot about a year in the life of a Yorkshire primary school in the late 1970s.It's 1977 and Jack Sheffield is appointed headmaster of a small village primary school in North Yorkshire. So begins Jack's eventful journey through the school year and his attempts to overcome the many problems that face him as a young and inexperienced headmaster.The many colourful chapters include Ruby the 20 stone caretaker with an acute spelling problem, a secretary who worships Margaret Thatcher, a villager who grows giant carrots, a barmaid/parent who requests sex lessons, and a five-year-old boy whose language is colourful in the extreme. And then there's also beautiful, bright Beth Henderson, who is irresistibly attractive to the young headmaster...Warm, funny and nostalgic, Teacher, Teacher is a delightful read that is guaranteed to make you feel better, whatever kind of day you've had.

“Heartbeat for teachers”

Fay Yeomans, BBC Radio
Howzat for a great Yorkshire novel Dickie Bird
A wonderful gallery of village characters Yorkshire Evening Press
Refreshing...hilarious detail Yorkshire Post
Wry and touching ... the warm and nostalgic story of Jack's efforts to run the school is told with understanding and colourful humour...Sheffield writes with understanding and colourful humour Good Book Guide

Jack Sheffield was born in 1945 and grew up in the tough environment of Gipton Estate, in North East Leeds. After a job as a 'pitch boy', repairing roofs, he became a Corona Pop Man before going to St John's College, York, and training to be a teacher. In the late 70s and 80s, he was a headteacher of two schools in North Yorkshire before becoming Senior Lecturer in primary education at Bretton Hall near Wakefield. It was at this time he began to record his many amusing stories of village life. He lives in York and Hampshire.Visit his website at

Miss Barrington-Huntley took off her steel-framed spectacles and polished them deliberately. 'Mr Sheffield,' she said, 'after careful consideration we have decided to offer you the very challenging post of headmaster of Ragley School'. It's 1977 and Jack Sheffield arrives at a small village primary school in North Yorkshire. Little does he imagine what the first year will hold in store as he has to grapple with: Ruby , the 20 stone caretaker with an acute spelling problem Vera , the school secretary who worships Margaret Thatcher Ping, the little Vietnamese refugee who becomes the school's best reader and poet Deke Ramsbottom, a singing cowboy, father of Wayne, Shane and Clint, and many others, includinga groundsman who grows giant carrots, a barmaid parent who requests sex lessons, and a five-year-old boy whose language is colourful in the extreme. And then there's beautiful, bright Beth Henderson, a deputy head, who is irresistibly attractive to the young headmaster... ' Heartbeat for teachers' Fay Yeomans, BBC Radio

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