The Penguin Podcast is back! Listen Now
Happiest Days

Happiest Days

Summary

It's 1986 and Jack Sheffield returns to Ragley village school for his tenth rollercoaster year as headteacher.

It's the year of Margaret Thatcher's third election victory, Dynasty and shoulder pads, Neighbours and a Transformer for Christmas. And at Ragley-on-the-Forest School, a year of surprises is in store. Ruby the Caretaker finds happiness at last, Vera the Secretary makes an important decision, a new teacher is appointed and a disaster threatens the school.

Meanwhile Jack receives unexpected news, and is faced with the biggest decision of his career . . .

Readers love Jack Sheffield:
'Wry observation and heartwarming humour in equal measure' Alan Titchmarsh
'Overflowing with amusing anecdotes' Daily Express
'Amusing adventures at the North Yorkshire village school' Choice
'Jack Sheffield's in a class of his own' York Press

Reviews

  • Lovely book . . .thoroughly recommended
    Stephen Lewis, The York Press

About the author

Jack Sheffield

Jack Sheffield grew up in the tough environment of Gipton Estate, in North East Leeds. After a job as a 'pitch boy', repairing roofs, he became a Corona Pop man before going to St John's College, York, and training to be a teacher. In the late seventies and eighties, he was a headteacher of two schools in North Yorkshire before becoming Senior Lecturer in Primary Education at Bretton Hall College of the University of Leeds. It was at this time he began to record his many amusing stories of village life as portrayed in Teacher, Teacher!, Mister Teacher, Dear Teacher, Village Teacher, Please Sir!, Educating Jack, School's Out!, Silent Night, Star Teacher, Happiest Days, Starting Over, Changing Times, Back to School, School Days and Last Day of School. He lives in Hampshire.
Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more