I had meant to be so good this year about my blog…so good! Instead, I have neglected it as well as pretty much everything that doesn’t relate to teaching.

I had been warned by so many people that the first year as an NQT would be hard, but I was seriously unprepared for the ass kicking that this term has delivered. It’s been 6 weeks of frantic planning, learning, and ridiculously late nights, and I have wondered more than once if I’m cut out for this teaching thing. It didn’t help that Ofsted visited the third week of school. I would like to say that I’ve hit my stride, but I can’t honestly admit that. Every day feels like an enormous hurdle to be got through before escaping and trying to prepare and recover for the next day. This is Hunger Games teaching, ya’ll.

Still there have been some nice things this autumn, too. I’ve made a lovely new friend, had visits from wonderful people, made trips into London, including my first visit to The Globe, received my first paycheck in over a year, planned for a holiday to Copenhagen, shopped for new clothes and pretty things for my flat, and best of all, I have a lovely new niece to hold, even if I have to wait until April to do so. It seems like ages until I can go home, but it’s just 5 days until half-term and then I’m heading to Cambridge for a relaxing week with Paul, and all I have planned is reading and knitting and sleeping, oh my.