Really wonderful to meet so many of you three weeks ago at the First Appointments TES website readers’ party in London. We were heartened to talk to so many new teachers who are genuinely excited about teaching and school life. I especially loved hearing that one of you is intending to commute from London to a college many miles outside the capital, just to train on the right course to be a maths teacher - that’s commitment for you. And it was good to see the NQT chap who’s a bit freaked out with bad behaviour (but who made the effort to turn up on his own) get some reassurance from our induction expert, Sara Bubb. Extra thanks to those of you who travelled from Cambridge, Loughborough and some who made it all the way from Manchester.

We’ll do it again, sometime soon. Enjoy the pics on page 4, and look out for more on www.tes.co.uktrainee_teachers.

We’ve got another issue packed with features, ideas and food for thought.

City academies have been all over the news - but would you want to work in one? See page 6 before you decide. The attitude of black boys in school is another big issue - but is it really a problem? Emmanuel Ohajah thinks not - read his take on it on page 12. And there are jobhunting advantages for GTP students, the iffy business of committing yourself to an MA, and a peek inside a teacher student household in Bristol.

As always, email me with your stories and feedback on fiona.flynn@tes.co.uk