By Stephen Baker (author)
"A lively story of downtrodden headteacher as he attempts to lead a struggling school through a series of increasingly farcical challenges."
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The realties of headship are far less illustrious than Harry Flanagan had hoped. Rather than the deep respect and admiration he expected to be lauded with, he is instead surrounded by self-interest, incompetence and hostility. As budgets tighten and expectations grow, he’s barely holding things together, so when a dreaded Ofsted visit coincides with a visiting TV crew much hilarity ensues.
From aggressive inspectors to surly teachers, via useless TV producers and warring pig farmers – Outstanding enjoys a hilarious and varied cast of characters, many of whom will likely be all too familiar to those readers who work in schools. Written by someone with obvious vast experience working in schools, this is an empathetic and light-hearted read.
Question: What do you get if you blend a downtrodden head teacher, a hostile school inspector, an incompetent reality TV film crew, an ice cream factory and a load of unruly pigs?
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Answer: A hilarious novel from the pen of Steve Baker, a brilliant writer and school behaviour specialist.
Outstanding tells the story of a school inspection set against the backdrop of a struggling school in a semi-rural setting. Educating Norfolk have been invited in to film the cash strapped school and just happen to arrive at the same time as the inspectors - with hysterical results. Meanwhile, a war erupts between the neighbouring ice cream factory and a local pig farmer in which the school is collateral damage.
Plus, an idealistic recently appointed inspector, confronted with the reality of his judgements and their consequences, is forced to make a life-changing decision. Steve skilfully weaves these elements together and leads the unhappy protagonists towards a magnificent and heartwarming climax.
As a teacher, behaviour specialist and award winning education non-fiction author, Steve Baker brings insider knowledge and sharp wit to this brilliantly crafted debut novel. Combining satire and social commentary, this hilarious book captures the heart of the chaos and pressures of modern-day teaching.
A highly entertaining read for teachers of all levels seeking a light-hearted escape from the pressures and stresses of their day job.
'Witty, engaging, and blends comedy with biting social commentary.' - Isabella Wallace, education author and keynote speaker.
'I loved the book and once I had started it I couldn’t put it down. At one level this is a fabulous well crafted fast-paced humorous story filled with intricate twists and turns and very many laugh-out-loud moments. At another level it might reflect what will be left behind if the politicians and media continue to fuel a recruitment and retention crisis in schools caused by rushed and badly thought- out policies, biased and disparaging media reports, and a deteriorating inspectorate. Either way please read this book. I loved it.' - Will Ryan, fifty years a passionate educationalist, teacher, head teacher, writer, consultant and associate of Independent Thinking Ltd. Also an Owl (see chapter 5)
Stephen (Steve) Baker lives in Anglesey, North Wales, with his wife Sian. After a long career in education, from which he is semi-retired, he wrote his highly acclaimed non-fiction title, That Behaviour Book , which won book of the year in the Teach Secondary awards in 2023. As a life-long comedy fan, he’s now written his first hilarious novel, Outstanding .
Question: What do you get if you blend a downtrodden head teacher, a hostile school inspector, an incompetent reality TV film crew, an ice cream factory and a load of unruly pigs? Answer: A hilarious novel from the pen of Steve Baker, a brilliant writer and school behaviour specialist.
Outstanding features in the following genres: Books for Teachers, Recommendations, Funny, School Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback. £11.69, down from the £12.99 cover price. In Stock.
Outstanding was written by Stephen Baker and published by Crown House Publishing
Outstanding has 280 pages
£11.69, reduced from £12.99. In Stock.
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