FORGET Aristotle, Plato and Socrates.

When it comes to philosophy, Gervase Phinn would rather listen to the observations and pearls of wisdom of youngsters.

Gervase was a schools inspector in the Yorkshire Dales for 12 years and dedicated his career to education.

"I love the philosophy of children, the little ones particularly," he said.

"A little girl in York said to me when I was inspecting her school: ‘Have you ever thought Mr Phinn that when I’m 21 you’ll probably be dead?’

"Another time I was looking out over the Dales and a little boy came up to me and said: ‘You better take a look at the display on the wall because our teacher has been in all weekend putting it up for you’. Children are honest."

Gervase will be sharing many more anecdotes from his school inspections at the Pyramid on Wednesday, November 2.

It is his 12th theatre tour where his poignant tales have reached more than 300,000 people and led to him being dubbed the 'the James Herriot of schools'.

His show is based on the regular notes he has made since he started teaching in 1970, documenting how education has changed over the years.

Gervase is also the author of more than 50 books and memoirs based on his experiences.

The 69-year-old was first encouraged to keep a log by his tutor Dr Raymond Cowell when he went to Leeds University to study English.

Gervase added: "I always wanted to write and he suggested three things – to read a lot, to be a sharp observer of people and to keep a notebook.

"So since 1970 I’ve had notebook after notebook and have written down anecdotes, stories, details and ideas.

"This is the material that has been used on my theatre show. A writer and performer will always embroider on things but the essence was there.

"My humour is not cutting-edge. It’s not Russell Brand. It’s observational, it’s heart-warming, it’s about children and life and at a time when the world is pretty drear and gloomy I think people need cheering up a bit."

Gervase's talk will also see him talk about his own childhood and school experiences.

"I had very good, encouraging teachers," said Gervase, who had Sheffield Hallam University's highest academic award, Doctor of the University, conferred upon him in 2005.

"I was very fortunate. I wasn’t a particularly bright child. I worked hard and had a lot of support.

"I sometimes thought when I was standing in front of a class how privileged I was to be able to do that.

"Because the teachers aren’t doing the children a favour by teaching them, the children are doing the teachers a favour by allowing them to be taught because it is a great profession.

"People say teachers aren’t as good as they were in the past. But in my experience having 12 years as a schools inspector I think they’re equally as good if not better.

"Sadly a lot of them are under pressure now with a lot of paperwork and constant change."

One of Gervase's most vivid memories of his school days was when he studied A-Level English at a girls' school because the head of English at his boys' school was ill.

Gervase, who is patron of 12 charities, added: "We saw the girls and talked to them through the fence but no boys had been into the girls’ high school.

"So I was among three boys from the sixth form who went down and we met this little woman who was the head of English, Mary Wainwright.

"She was in pleated tweeds and had bulletproof stockings and heavy brogues. She was a real old school ma’am with her hair in a bun but she was fabulous.

"She brought Shakespeare to life. She was my favourite teacher.

"There were 20 girls and three boys and we had to sit on the opposite side of the class to them.

"Mrs Wainwright wouldn’t let us sit next to them but it was fantastic. We didn’t try to chat them up but we were the envy of the boys back at the boys’ school."

Another thing Gervase has perfected over the years is how to suss out a good teacher.

He said: "A good teacher is one who has a sense of humour, is enthusiastic, is dedicated, who works hard, who wants the best for the children and who never writes a child off.

"They’ll never call children fools or idiots and want each student to do their best.

"Another quality of a great teacher is he or she is prepared to admit their own ignorance or error. Teachers don’t know everything

"When I was doing my O-Levels my brother was an outstanding artist. And when I went up to the school the head of art said: ‘Another Phinn, another great artist’

"But when he saw my work of course it wasn’t anything like my brother’s. He said: ‘Obviously you’ve not got the talent of your brother’.

"I walked out of the lesson because I was so upset. He sent for me the next day and I thought I was going to be caned for walking out.

"But he put his hand on my shoulder and said: 'Sorry for what I said to you the other day. All children have different talents. You might not be as good as your brother at art but you are probably better than him at other things'.

"You can imagine how that felt when I was 11. That teacher went rocketing up in my estimation.

"The worst teacher of all is not the lazy teacher – you can’t be lazy now – it’s the cynic

"The teacher that knows everything, has done everything, who says there’s nothing they can learn."

Gervase's passion for education probably explains why teachers are almost always found in his audiences – unlike teenagers and people in their 20s.

He added: "I did have a young audience once down south. The front row had three or four boys and girls on but they left after 10 minutes as they thought they’d come to see Ricky Gervais..."

- Gervase Phinn is at the Pyramid on Wednesday, November 2. To book tickets visit pyramidparrhall.com or call 442345.