For an organisation which would claim to have its finger on the social pulse of the nation, the British Broadcasting Corporation certainly displays a serious lack of awareness of the priorities of the country’s teachers.
The BBC Scotland radio programme Settle Down Third Year, described as “an irreverent look at school days past and present”, goes out on Friday mornings - with a repeat broadcast “for teachers” at 10.30pm.
The idea that overworked and fraught dominies will opt for a cup of chocolate and an evening by the wireless, as opposed to venting their frustration in an orgiastic Friday night in the hostelry of their choice, has provoked mirth and not a little derision in some staffrooms.
We suggest that the best chance Auntie Beeb has of restoring its staffroom-cred is to visit the hostelries, issue tapes of the programme and get local authorities to accredit it. It could count towards a continuing professional development portfolio - a kind of inn-service course.
