Too many parents (and children) are taking their advice from social media and dismissing school as ‘old hat’ and irrelevant…. often using their own school experience as an opportunity to damn their own child’s school. Sadly, they are committing a generation of young people to a life of low-skilled, low-paid jobs… or more likely benefits as they feel themselves above the kind of jobs poor or no qualifications equip you for.

“I’ve been a teacher for 14+ years and the behaviour in our classrooms is getting horrifyingly worse. Teachers have been kicked, spat on, they’ve had their hair pulled and even been verbally abused. Parents blame teachers for their children’s behaviour. How is this possible? I am a parent and a teacher, I know charity begins at home and if as parents we do not look at ourselves first, sadly all the excellent teachers will disappear into other professions.”

“I am concerned that this [abuse] might well result in headteachers and staff deciding to leave our schools and possibly the profession: frankly, why would you subject yourself to that level of abuse? I am sure that the people reading this would be horrified by the personally abusive and sometimes threatening communications that have been received. I am therefore asking you to help to ensure our heads are enjoying their work: be reasonable in your interactions, be fair and be kind.”