A review by jennyanydots
The Little Village School by Gervase Phinn

3.0

He has previously written biographical collections of anecdotes about working as a school inspector in Yorkshire in the 1980s and this novelised version of a failing village school with a new headteacher trying to turn things round before the council can decide to close them down is very clearly drawn from his previous experience. I even recognised some of the same anecdotes. He has an engaging writing style and has spent a lot of time thinking about what makes a good teacher and how to get the best from different children, and his expertise shines through when he's writing about the school. He is less assured when it comes to some of the other elements, such as the entirely predictable romantic sub-plot he feels the need to include, and he came up with a complex back story for his main character which never quite rang true for me. Overall enjoyable, but not that accomplished. Glad it was a library book and not one I paid for. I'll read the sequel if I spot it, but won't make much effort to seek it out.