Author Description

"In the early eighties, Mike Kent took on the headship of a tough, inner city primary school and built it into one of the most popular primary schools in London... Mike describes with humour and insight the challenges he experienced as English primary education changed beyond belief during three decades. Never a stranger to controversy, Mike survived a racial tribunal, an eighteen-month battle with Ofsted, and bureaucrats who viewed children merely as outcome units. His love of teaching and teachers shines through as he describes the many unique characters and situations he encounterd - the boy who wanted to be a bus, the ex-pupil who became a society thief, the teacher who couldn't throw anything away, the fire officer who described children's art as hazardous wall substances and the famous politician who hadn't encountered inquisitive little children before"--Publisher's description.