My school is... the place that consumes daylight from my life. I arrive in the dark and leave in the dark. It is turning me into a nocturnal being.

Staffroom politics is... something I would rather avoid. I prefer to get work done at lunchtime in the hope of making it home to see the sun set than sit with a group of women who find fault with everything and everyone.

Thank goodness for the science department office - my haven of peace and like-minded people.

In five years’ time I’d like to be... living somewhere sunny and teaching part-time. I need to make up the missed daylight hours that I’ve accumulated so far this year.

One day, I’ll tell the head that... I admire her. Despite the opinions of the majority of staff, she is good and I have a lot of respect for her.

My worst nightmare is... that I’ve forgotten to teach part of the syllabus to my exam groups - I will sleep a lot better after the GCSE and A-level results come out in August... until then, all I can do is cross my fingers and hope I haven’t let them down.

Senior management don’t know it but... if they spent less time in meetings and more time with staff, they might be more popular. We only see them when they want us to add another few pages to our lesson plans or fill in another dozen forms and audits.

My favourite bit of the week is... my double free on a Wednesday afternoon - I know I have the worst days past me and it’s all downhill from there.

I hate teachers who... won’t speak to me because I’m “new” - nine months later. I feel I am still seen as a student, and I hate that. I am a permanent member of staff in this school, but not everyone treats me as one.

Weekends are for...doing everything that you can’t do during the week, and to remind yourself that there is more to life than school.

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