It’s beginning to look a lot like the run-up to Christmas

The first half-term can be a difficult one – for new teachers and old alike
20th October 2017, 12:00am

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It’s beginning to look a lot like the run-up to Christmas

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/its-beginning-look-lot-run-christmas
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As we reach the end of the first half-term of the year, it’s inevitable that some reflection occurs. If you’re an NQT this year, then you’ve probably already had quite the rollercoaster of a term but, with any luck, you’re still enjoying the ride.

There’s old wisdom in the profession that things get tougher as Christmas approaches, as you realise that things don’t quite go how you’d imagined (pupils have a habit of ruining the best laid plans), but rest assured, the same wisdom says that by Easter you’ll be on the up again.

If you’re a more experienced teacher, then maybe today is not so much a day of reflection as one of celebration. There’s something of an achievement about reaching that first half-term holiday. It feels like a mission to get through what is often the longest half-term of the year - although I always think the first half of the spring term feels longer, with all those dark mornings and nights. My experience, though, was always that this first half term was one of getting acclimatised to things again.

Even if you’re in the same classroom and same year group as before, there’s something that gives you a jolt about going back to September. If you didn’t appreciate how much you’d taught the last class by the time they left you in July, you’ll certainly recognise how much the new ones don’t know. Of course, if you’ve moved to an earlier year group, then the shock is all the more significant. I once moved from Year 7 to Year 5, and although the move was just to a neighbouring corridor, I also moved to a class who had had three years’ less teaching than the ones I’d just lost.

Starting headship

This year’s been different for me, as I take up headship. Instead of having to train a new class in my ways of working, I’ve been in a whole new school, with people who don’t know me, and no class to call my own. A move of school can be a surprise to anyone’s teaching.

Experienced teachers thrive so much on our reputations when it comes to expectations of behaviour and working; to have to build that all again from scratch takes effort.

Not having a class has been the biggest shock. I have to confess that on the first day of term, once all the children had streamed in through the doors, I wasn’t too sure what to do with myself. Instead of 30 names to learn, I had 200… but I couldn’t use my usual games and strategies, because they weren’t in my care. My time was soon filled with tasks and I didn’t pause for long, but it’s not quite like starting that journey with a new class.

Each time I’ve read about something exciting on social media, or seen a good discussion about a class reader, I’ve had to deal with the blow that I don’t have a class to read to any more.

Experienced headteacher colleagues have often told me how in becoming a headteacher, the staff become your class - but I’m not sure how well they’d take to me using up staff meeting time indulging my story-time needs. Then again, who knows?

Don’t let me leave you feeling sorry for me. It has been a real privilege to lead a team of colleagues, and start the journey of meeting 200 pupils.

The chance to shape a whole school has many parallels to that first step in setting up your very own classroom - not least that feeling of not being sure you’re doing things right. But like you, I’ve survived the first half term. Before you know it, it’ll be Christmas…


Michael Tidd is headteacher at Medmerry Primary School in West Sussex. He tweets as @MichaelT1979

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