I started my PGCE in secondary English last month, and am finding it extremely tough so far. I have been placed in one of the bottom 50 schools in the country (30% A-C Grade in my subject) in a deeply impoverished area, and for the first time in my life I feel really down.

Without wanting to go into it too much detail I feels there's a colossal disparity between the inspiring, forward-thinking teacher I hoped I might be able to become, and the tedious bureaucracy which seems to choke the life out of every working minute.

so anyway, does anyone have any words of advice, or been in the same position? Does it get better? Am I just being too idealistic? Are such feelings inevitable in any job? etc etc