After... The first term.

It's been a long, long seven weeks. I don't remember a time when I've been under such scrutiny and pressure, and done as much work as I have in the last 50 days.

We've switched to 100 minute lessons this year, which has been quite the learning curve and required me to re-plan the lessons I've delivered over the last few years.

We've, in a search for consistency, rewritten the school's behaviour policy so that students receive four warnings before moving rooms, which they'll be returned from if they don't cause an issue there. (A later request from leadership asked for consistency and students were complaining that they were receiving fewer warnings in some lessons. For me, the complaint is '...but I can misbehave more in ... than ...' Hardly an argument to be listened to!)

As a country, we're delivering the new GCSE. I've a bigger blog about this to follow, but I'm finding that it takes more time to plan these lessons too.

I've worked two Saturdays, with MathsConf5 and our school's open day, taught 3 lunch times a week this term, lost my Year 8 class in favour of taking on a second Year 11 class in an effort to improve our maths results this year, written Year 11 college references. No wonder I'm exhausted.

This post (the 'After...') was intended to be a recap of my experiences of 100 minute lessons, so this will come soon too.

This post, however, will focus on what's to come... Parents evenings (only 3 this year!), mock exams, Christmas decorations, the important HT3 period, wedding in Finland for half term, the important HT4 revision time, honeymooning over Easter, the run-in to June exams, a Year 9 Young Leaders residential, Academic Smackdown and BREATHE.

At the moment, though, I'm just looking forward to a week of not needing to be at work, even though my to do list is as long as my arm. I'd best get this out of the way before Zombie Infection in Sheffield and Foot Golf next weekend!

Happy half term everyone!