"I was a teacher for 14 years and am often wary of novels about teaching, especially if I'm assured that they are going to be funny.  Because they often aren't.  The Harpole Report, however, is not only the funniest book about teaching that I've ever read; it's also the funniest book - about anything - that I've read in a long time" - Roddy Doyle

"The funniest and perhaps truest story about running a school that I have ever read" - Frank Muir

"Harpole remains quite the best book on the English School System. Brilliantly observed by a battle scarred veteran of the front line." - Kenneth Baker, Secretary of State for Education

A conscientious young teacher seizes his opportunity as Acting Headmaster of the local school.  But from the outset finds himself besieged on all fronts by the eccentric staff, uninhibited parents, combative administrators and the spirited children in his care.  Told through memos, diary entries and official reports George Harpole's world gradually unfolds.

The Harpole Report is a wry affectionate portrait of one man's battle with the small absurdities of the English education system.  What begins as a comic tangle of bureaucracy becomes a warm, sharply observed study of idealism under pressure.

"The idea was to write a sort of text book for teachers and to tell parents more about what goes on in primary schools. And there is just about everything here - free meals, hymn-signing, caretakers, the New Maths, school visits, log books etc. But Emma Foxberrow got out of hand and perhaps not so many readers take it seriously as about education. But some do and it has been said that all teachers whilst training should read it... Anyway it was all I wanted to say about a job I did for nine years before the war and for 21 years after it." - JL Carr