A RAMSBOTTOM writer has penned a book revealing the everyday struggles of a high school teacher.

But now Paul Jenkins is relying on the public to get behind the book ahead of its launch in April.

The former head of drama at a Blackburn secondary school has spent the last year working nationally as an actor, touring the country delivering drama and writing workshops across the country.

With his memories as a teacher still fresh in his mind, Paul, of Holcombe Brook, has documented his experiences of years working in a class room in his new novel ‘Requires Improvement’.

The book, which follows the trials and tribulations of drama teacher Jim Tovey, has already been making waves across the internet, with more than £1,000 pledged to see the book published.

Father-of-two Paul said: “The support so far has been fantastic.

"People have been ordering their advance copies of the book from everywhere.

“We have had pledges from backers all over the UK, including one backer from Bristol, several from London and another from the far reaches of Northern Scotland. The response has been overwhelming."

The book itself follows the life of drama teacher Jim, whose experiences are not a million miles from the reality experienced by the author himself.

The story drops in on Jim's lessons and class assemblies while also following his struggle to cope with the pressures of schools shows, reports and even the odd sex education lesson.

Paul, who has recently been busy writing classroom resources for BBC Comedy, added: "Hopefully, there is something for everyone in there.

“In theory, the book should shed some light on why classroom teachers are always looking quite so tired when you pick your kids up from school.

"Being around a thousand teenagers and school staff every day gave me plenty of stories to tell.

“Hopefully 'Requires Improvement' will give me a chance to share them with the rest of the world."

To donate to the project, go to: tinyurl.com/requiresimprovement