Contemporary
A school therapy dog put down as a cost-cutting measure. An Ofsted inspector who grades his sexual encounters on a clipboard. A Head of Humanities who spends every waking minute scouring the Norwegian Meteorology Service website, desperate for a hint of snow. A Deputy Head found naked, bound and gagged after the Year 11 Prom. A Chief Executive of the Local Education Authority waiting for a phone call as the only employee left in a once vast empire. A Secretary of State for Education with a cunning plan to solve the Social Care crisis.
Here's what readers have to say about this book....
I really enjoyed this book, I thought it hit the nail on the head concerning some really important topics and I'd definitely be interested to read more from this author.
I wasn't sure if I was going to stick with this book. It was really really slow at first. However, the premise of schools with secrets always gets me. It really does pick up and I found it worth the wait!
At first, I got a really weird vibe while I was reading this. However, as I continued reading, that feeling went away. It was written well and I felt a lot of thought went into it. I have a lot to think about now and it was nice to see a different portrayal of educators. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this!
The British education system has been slowly languishing for many years, suffering from defunding and having attention grabbing, but ultimately useless ideas forced on it. The cries of experienced educators have been drowned out and it seems empathy is at an all time low... or so I believe from what I've read in Zero Tolerance. This was a great, satirical work which weaves in astute thoughts on politics, refugees and the general ridiculousness of 21st century life. The Old Grey Owl really breathes life into teachers, a career which has been disrespected by the government for a while now I found it a little difficult to get into at first, but felt I was truly riding a well thought out rollercoaster by the end.
First of all this book is a great read. The characters, while they clearly represent a type, are drawn in depth and detail. The plot is wonderfully controlled to keep the reader engrossed and although the story is serious and often tragic, it is fundamentally kind-hearted. This is plainly a book on a mission which may be too apparent, but anyone with experience of children, teaching or teachers can fill in the shades of grey between the 'good' and the 'bad'. I mustn't give a way the ending, this book must be read.