And most men looking for a partner, along with journalists and TV directors, think that women teachers are lovely. A survey last year put female teachers sixth in the wish list top ten of males, a rise from tenth place a year earlier.

If you’re male teacher, though, you’re out of luck, judging by this latest survey. Women don’t want you for a lover - they are after surgeons and solicitors.

Mary Balfour has heaps of teachers in her agencies Drawing Down the Moon and Only Lunch.

She conducted the survey, and says men perceive teachers as having “intellectual acumen in a caring context”.

“It is very hard for teachers, particularly female ones, to find love in the workplace because in many schools it’s a single-sex occupation. They can come across as being hard done by so they have to prove to people that they are happy and positive,” adds Mary.

Emmanuel Ohajah, director of epndating.com, an on-line dating agency for black people, said that of its 2,000 members about 150 were teachers.

He said: “Teachers are desirable partners because education is popular and highly valued in the community, and teachers are considered to have status and respect.”

He founded the agency following demand from the African and Caribbean communities.