Last week was manic. Not only did I do two visits to my link class – both were brilliant, the energy primary school teachers have to have is boundless! – but also I needed to write them up. That in itself is a task and a half. You want it to be more than just a description of the lesson, but you are not allowed to be judgemental and must only write comments that are facts. I can see why this may be necessary, but it also makes it hard to move forward and make improvements.
I also did some appeals panel training. It’s going to be hard to be completely unbiased. I’m relieved that I can’t sit on this year’s panel, as our school has received 180 applicants for 90 places, and I have heard today that people who live half a mile away have not been given a place at any of the three local schools, but must travel two miles or more to the school they have been given! Nightmare.
Seems that I am also likely to be the person who speaks on behalf of our school for next year’s appeals. Not sure how I got into that, but at least I’ll have a year before I have to face it – that is REALLY scary.
