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Teacher #5

Please Sir!

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It's 1981, the time of Adam and the Ants, Rubik's Cube, the Sony Walkman and the Falklands War, as head teacher Jack Sheffield returns to Ragley-on-the-Forest School for another rollercoaster year.

Vera, the ever-efficientschool secretary, has to grapple with a new-fangled computer - and enjoys a royal occasion - while Ruby the caretaker rediscovers romance with a Butlin's Redcoat. And for Jack, wedding bells are in the air. But the unexpected is just round the corner...

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

7 people are currently reading
218 people want to read

About the author

Jack Sheffield

32 books76 followers
Jack Sheffield (born Jack Linley, 1945) is a British author who wrote a series of books of fiction about the headmaster of a village school in a fictional Yorkshire village. The stories are set from the late 1970s to the early 1980s and attempt to portray life in Yorkshire as it was at that time.

He was trained as a teacher at St John's College, York and later became head teacher of two schools in North Yorkshire and then senior lecturer in primary education at Bretton Hall.

He took up writing after retirement, and his first novel "Teacher, Teacher!" sold 100,000 copies

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Community Reviews

5 stars
173 (46%)
4 stars
129 (34%)
3 stars
51 (13%)
2 stars
17 (4%)
1 star
4 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for Marietta.
28 reviews
March 20, 2011
As usual an excellent read. Can't wait on the next one as this book leaves you not knowing what has happened!!!
201 reviews
June 14, 2018
Written partly in English and partly in some dialect barely understandable. Why why why? With a million English words why doesn’t person writing use them?
Could it be an attempt at creating a new language?
Profile Image for Sharon Bidwell.
Author 15 books7 followers
June 25, 2019
While it’s true these books get a little repetitive, after reading a few it’s hard not to be wrapped up in the lives of those at Ragley School. Charming and touching, at times funny or sad, and this one comes with a true cliffhanger.
93 reviews
February 16, 2021
Another lovely read. Love the descriptive writing of the flowers, trees and the seasons in the Yorkshire village.
Also visiting the characters in the village school again.
Looking forward to the next book in the series
618 reviews3 followers
October 12, 2025
Downloaded this as expected it to be a 1960s orginal novel on which the tv sitcom was based. It’s nothing like, it’s some boring drivel from 1981 a Yorkshire back of beyond village. I mean who gives a single fuck ?
Shouldn’t be allowed to use the ‘please sir’ brand
Profile Image for Sara.
14 reviews
August 16, 2020
Good easy, light hearted read, hadn't read any of the prev series. Had to get the next one out of the library to find out what happened next.......
245 reviews
January 1, 2022
As good as all the others. Easy, gentle, fascinating reminder of how things were back in the 80s
Profile Image for Juliana Graham.
511 reviews8 followers
July 14, 2022
Episode 5 in the Jack Sheffield teacher series and an instant return to the familiar storylines and characters. We're up to 1981 now so more and more of the social context is becoming familiar to me (as I was 5 at that time). The day to day events of the classroom mingle with life outside the school for the characters and the bigger national picture. Because of these various 'levels' of events, there is plenty for the reader to enjoy and a multi layered world is created which feels to me pretty realistic.

An enjoyable story, albeit with the regular niggles of slightly too many knowing jokes that come from having a crystal ball into the future and a few too many puns you can see coming a mile off. Overall though, an entertaining read and a spectacular cliff hanger which definitely requires the next book to be read!
Profile Image for Chris.
298 reviews1 follower
November 7, 2012
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this one and true to form it was left on a massive cliff hanger - the biggest yet. Someone's life is going to change massively by the sounds of it.

As with the other books these are feel good nostalgia and you look back as you are reading and think, 'Yeah I remember that too'. It also evokes your own memories of a time when the summer seemed to go much slower and life was a little let rushed, but stating to speed a little. Some looks back on Charles and Di which are quite poignant now we know the true story.

Bring on the next book!
593 reviews8 followers
May 10, 2016
Delightful read, the anecdotes of village life the children's stories and the passing of another school year. All the school staff, Ann, Vera, Ruby the different school festivities and we have the full gamut of life, engagement wedding, birth all provide an endearing read. Then we have the ending! I need to know what happened and to whom
66 reviews1 follower
July 9, 2011
Not brilliantly written (the POV changes are all over the place) but very enjoyable all the same. I came away feeling very happpy, even with the cliffhanger ending.
Profile Image for Ali Lester.
8 reviews
November 6, 2012
Enjoyed this as I have his other books they give a great cosy nostalgic feeling.
Profile Image for Gloria.
263 reviews1 follower
Read
January 9, 2015
not sure when I finished this but guessing 2012
Profile Image for Francine.
452 reviews5 followers
February 22, 2016
Very cute and lots of fun to read. A bit like reading something you'd watch on PBS when you don't want a lot of blood and sex, just good old fashioned storytelling.
5 reviews
May 6, 2016
Jack Sheffield's books are always an enjoyable read. Full of lovely reminders of a time long gone, lots of touching moments along with humorous ones.
Profile Image for Kate Marshall.
7 reviews
November 27, 2013
Really enjoyable and witty, biggest cliff hanger ever, looking forward to reading the next
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews

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