Mel bit into her salad sandwich. ‘I need a few bottles never mind a few glasses. How have you stuck this place so long? It feels like two steps forward three steps back all day every day. I know these kids need our help – but it doesn’t always feel like they want it. And as for men, I hear you. My ex still won’t leave me alone…’

‘From what you’ve said, he seems a right crank. There must be a way of him stopping him treating you like this.’

‘I wish, Tina, he’s a law unto himself. It’s making me ill. I can’t live like this anymore.’

Tina felt like the walls were closing in on her. The school seemed to have more problems piling up every day. If it wasn’t the students, it was the staff.

Donny was in a filthy mood too. He stormed into the room and shouted at them all to hurry up. It was a world away from his usual easy-going charm. Firm but fair was his normal style, but something was clearly eating away at him.

‘Lessons start in ten minutes. If you’ve not finished your dinner, then it can go in the bin. You’ve had plenty of time to sit down and eat, so don’t come crying to me if you’re still hungry.’ He looked at Frankie. ‘Did you hear me? Don’t just look at me like I’m an idiot, hurry up and finish your food.’

Frankie dropped his fork onto his plate and looked up. ‘Don’t you start on me again. I’ve finished my grub, save it for Chelsea and that lot over there, they’ve only just started eating.’

Chelsea heard him and stood up. ‘This is the first thing that I’ve eaten all day so you can take a running jump if you think I’m rushing it down.’

Donny was in no mood for games today. ‘You can take your food to my office then or you can make up the time missed from your lesson at the end of the day, simple.’

All eyes were on them both now. ‘Listen, sir, stop taking your shit out on us. If you’re in a mood then sort it out, we don’t need you shouting and bawling all bleeding day. I can get that at home.’

Tina could see that Donny was about to lose the plot and she jumped up to intervene. ‘Right, less of the backchat, just eat your food and get ready for lessons. Mr Knight, I’ll sort this out, you go and have a break.’