The Lost Post!

After spending half an hour creating a detailed, heavily referenced meta-text for your enjoyment, including quotes from Joyce, Blake, Whitman and Ed the Duck, my laptop decided to die. Which is ever so slightly annoying.

However, I shall plough on, for in seed time we learn, in harvest time we teach and in summer, we relax! And, lo, here it is, brief glimpses of the eternal holiday tantalise us through the cloud and rain of summer, which is icumen at some point. You may well notice that I'm trying to slam as many of the quotes back into this text as I can.

The main point of this blog is simply to say thank you, and to look forward to September, when it all continues, a circle which we are doomed to repeat indefinitely, like denizens of some Dantean realm, punished for our choices. Your effort, attitude and support makes the English department  fantastic place to work. The way you accept reality, but dare question it; the fact you are curious yet not judgmental. The fact you tolerate this pretentious nonsense, as I shoe-horn now irrelevant quotes into my writing because I can! These things make you a great team and outstanding people to work with.

The achievements of this year have been many - small victories, and larger - results, attainment, relationships built. I look forward to September, when we continue this battle, aiming to develop further. This is the way the year ends, not with a whimper, but a bang, as we keep our standards high, and keep quality work coming right until the embers of the academic year fade. My first one was much better than this. Remember to always try, and to never fear mistakes, which are a person's portals of discovery.

Thank you again - enjoy the last week, your long, lazy summers ;-) and fear not, for we shall reconvene and conquer the nonsensical targets imposed from above and outside, whilst ensuring that we persist in our folly, in order that we become wise.

The Final Countdown...

It's kind of the final countdown, with six days of lessons to go before the fun of activities day, sports day and the sponsored walk. Obviously, we've got lots to do in those last six days, before we can begin to relax. For the final time this academic year, we have the progress reports to complete; more excitingly, the all new notice boards are taking shape. Hopefully, you've all sent VQ a wonderful, flattering, intellectual photograph which shows you at your best.

I haven't. I don't have one, and I can't use photoshop.

Thanks to all for your continuing hard work - let's keep that going, and keep communicating well, until the very end of term, to ensure that we keep progressing.

Seeing as you all know what needs doing - be it marking, planning, displaying - I'll leave us with the most serious issue we face right now. JB's leaving do. Where is it to be? Have we decided a venue? I hear rumours of Tampopo or similar, but I am hoping for confirmation soon!

Summer time....

At long last the weather seems to be consistently summer like. A British player choked in the semi-finals at Wimbledon. The Daily Express has a front page about Princess Diana.

All is well in the world.

Last week was typically varied and exciting; we underwent a rigorous QA process, receiving some positive feedback, and points for improvement. We also had a lively, interesting and productive meeting. Drawing these two together, a key theme for us is ensuring that we make everything as useful for ourselves as we possibly can. We need to aim for excellence, and work together to do this. If we all pull in the same direction we are an irresistible force. 

The discussion we had on Wednesday was invigorating and thought provoking. The ideas and targets generated will be written up and distributed later this week, and we will refer to them as we set up a clear plan for next year. As you'll no doubt be aware, we will, in perpetuity, have floating targets to meet, all the way up to our retirements in our late nineties. We have to be ahead of this game. We have to be knowledgeable and resourceful. A clear plan and a great team effort will give us the best possible chance of securing the best possible results for pupils, the school and ourselves.

One great thing about summer is having that time to read. Here is a list of teenage fiction. If anything jumps out as particularly interesting or relevant, let me know and we will see what we can do!