So, the Easter holidays race towards an end, and the new term rises up to greet us. Are we ready? Are we ever? My boss has moved on to pastures new. Our deputy is going to be acting head, and I am going to be acting as her deputy. I can't speak for her, but I am facing it with a mixture of emotions: I don't want to let the school community down; I don't want to get it wrong; I want to make sure that when I am out of the classroom that the children are being challenged, supported, encouraged and enriched. My work pile is immense. Like everyone, I had good intentions. Do this. File that. Prepare this. Start report writing (well, to be honest, I started making notes from September - I mean, you do, don't you? Just me?). Begin a blog - for me to use as a kind of diary, and maybe as a way to share some of the great work that the children do. There are two days left until we go back, but I have a family to enjoy and a house to pack up. Life, as well as school, marches on relentlessly.
On the off chance that anybody reads this and wants to reply I ask you, "What advice would you give to a new acting Deputy Headteacher of an outstanding (Ofsted's words!) primary school for his first day back?"