Black Mirror is one of the bleakest programmes ever to appear on television. It brings to life dystopian near-futures where, typically, there is no sign of a happy ending: its Christmas special a few years ago concluded with a protagonist curled up, screaming on the floor, stuck in a virtual world where Wizzard’s I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday played on an endless loop.

The upcoming series, however, promises a bit more levity, precisely because the real world has become a darker place since the first episodes in 2011. “I don’t know how much appetite there will be for nothing but bleak nihilism,” said creator Charlie Brooker this month.

We feel the same about Scottish education: it would be very easy to get sucked into a demoralising vortex of negativity. And there is plenty to worry about: education is increasingly vulnerable to budget cuts; the biggest strike action from teachers in decades appears likely in 2018; and even the biggest cheerleaders for Curriculum for Excellence have concerns about how it is panning out.

Yet, for all the troubles blighting Scottish education, the true picture is not one of unremitting gloom. That much is clear from a cursory glance at our Twitter feed, where in recent weeks a new batch of teachers have been sharing delight at their early experiences of working in a school.

One, @Mr_McCutcheon90, tweeted about an exchange with a pupil: “‘Mr McCutcheon, I think you’ll be an amazing teacher.’ And with that, Mr McCutcheon started to feel like part of the class and looked forward to working with his new P7s after Christmas,” he wrote.

‘Children have a special way of making you feel appreciated’

Another student, @MissKSWilson, tweeted: “You know it’s been a successful first week of placement when you’re singing the nativity songs over and over at home. Can’t wait to go back to the best wee Primary 1s in January!” And @gilliland_miss was similarly enthusiastic: “Children definitely have a special way of making you feel appreciated. There truly is no better job than teaching!”

Teaching remains a dream job for many, and, for all the frustrations that policymakers encumber the profession with, teachers need little encouragement to explain why. Earlier this year, for example, I tweeted “Why is teaching such a great job?”, and was surprised by the outpouring that resulted.

People embraced this invitation to muse on what they still loved about the job, despite everything. Among many feel-good responses, one primary teacher, @MrsJTeaches, poetically captured both the complexity and fulfilment of teaching: “Children are like extraordinary jigsaw puzzles and when you find a way to help put all the pieces together there is nothing more beautiful.”

A few weeks later, at the Scottish Learning Festival, Edinburgh primary head Lindsey Watt became the first working teacher to win the Robert Owen Award for inspirational educators.

It was a timely reminder that, for all the political bluster that dominates - and arguably distorts - the debate around education, there are thousands of outstanding teachers quietly getting on with their jobs, whichever way the policy wind is blowing.

There is a strong appetite for good news in Scottish education, and there remains plenty of it out there, usually unheralded but playing out every day in classrooms throughout the country.

In her acceptance speech, Watt said: “Leading a school is a tough shift but, honestly, it must be one of the best jobs in the world - and we must spread that joy.”

A very merry Christmas and a happy new year to all our readers, from everyone here at Tes Scotland.

@Henry_Hepburn