I retired from teaching two years ago. I had a burnout when I was fifty three, and went on part time supply until I was fifty eight.

The only reason I was able to survive so long is that, although I drank little alcohol in the week, I got absolutely f***ing plastered on a Friday night - it was this "heading for oblivion" that enabled me to go on for so long.

Not sure what you'll think of this - it's the alternative version of Pink Floyd's "Brick out of the Wall":-

Kick in the Proverbials

We don't need no education,
We don't need no self control
There's really nothing you can teach us,
Cos we already know it all.

Hey, kids,
Leave those teachers alone
Leave those teachers alone
All in all it's just another
Kick in the b***s

Forms, initiatives and targets,
Inspectors never satisfied,
Monitored, assessed, evaluated,
Graded, jaded, crucified

Hey, kids,
Leave those teachers alone...

They're all headed for the burnout,
Hollow eyed, no life no fun,
No sense of humour allowed in the staffroom,
Po faced daleks everyone

Hey, kids,
Leave those teachers alone..

They can speak but we won't listen,
Fart and belch and answer back,
Attention span of a daddy longlegs,
Just give us Nintendo and American clack.

Hey, kids,
Leave those teachers alone

You can't confiscate our mobiles,
We got our rights, you can't do nowt,
Tell us off and we will sue you,
Or get our dads to sort you out.

Hey, kids,
Leave that teacher alone