11 days to go...

So just 11 days to go.....!!

Last week I have said goodbye to colleagues and students at my final ever British headship, and to the MAT I've worked in since April 2017.  I'm sad to be leaving my colleagues, I've enjoyed working and learning with them, and to students, where I've enjoyed supervising and talking to them.  I've missed teaching classes this term, as in my previous headships I was lucky enough to teach GCSE and A Level History.  However, I know that I'm likely to teach again in the future in QLD, if I get on to a supply/relief register.  I've packed up all my Christmas decorations (pink, obviously!) and all my office gear, ready to put in the loft... ready to be packed again by the Bishops Move boys on 2nd January! I wasn't sad to be driving up the A1 home again, though - I am heartily sick of driving and not living at home.

I've got mixed feelings about leaving headship, to be honest. I know I've made a positive difference to every school I've led, or where I've been part of the Senior Leadership Team. But headship has changed in the two decades I've been in British education. It's not a long-term sustainable role in one school, and the pressure heads feel around exam results time is unfair and again, not sustainable for heads' mental health over time. No head ever came into our profession to make things worse for students, nor to be penalised for students' outcomes. Yet that is how commentators seem to view our roles now. It's been interesting to watch the BBC2 programme "School", where there was a real genuine communication of what our world is like. As teachers, we came into the profession because we loved our subject and wanted to share that love with students. I'm always gladdened to hear from former students about their own love of history which I've helped to develop - one of my favourite moments in the last term was when a colleague from a former school shared with me on Twitter her daughter's lesson planning, now as a history teacher herself, using resources I had uploaded to the Internet in 2004-5! I'm optimistic though that the new Ofsted framework, which I was lucky enough to pilot through an inspection on curriculum, might bring a different perspective to this "football manager" syndrome for heads. I do hope so.

Now that I've finished working, I can reflect on the last four years as a self-employed interim principal/headteacher. In four years of having my limited company, I've lived at home for only two terms out of twelve.... that's just mad. And it's confirmed my view that whatever I do next, wherever it is, I'm not going to live away from my home. "Rebuilding my snowman" overnight is hard enough, but to do it away from your own things, the cats, special people, makes it nearly impossible. I'm proud of myself for succeeding at being self-employed and having continued to build my reputation as a school leader.  I'm also proud of being able to adapt to this different way of working.

Also, I can now turn my full brain on to the Big Move and the wedding. I'm so excited for the daughter's big day on Sunday 30th - I hope the weather is kind to them and that everyone who is invited enjoys the celebrations. She has been planning this since the engagement in April and she has put so much thought into each aspect of the whole day and evening. I cannot wait!

I've also had a delightful family weekend, with my son and his new wife, and my daughter and her fiance (wedding is under a week away now!) - we did Christmas food, but no turkey as they all did turkey with other family members on Christmas Day! I'm so proud of these two young people - in my head they are still toddlers! They have become such brilliant adults with a love of life and clear vision which I totally adore. 

In terms of things to cancel this week, it was finally close enough in time and date for me to ring TV Licensing for them to make a note of my leaving date!  Funnily enough, the TV Licensing team had rung me after I'd cancelled the Direct Debit to say that I'd have to pay for 3 months' licence from 1 Jan to 3 Jan .... and then claim a refund for February and March (note, not the remainder of January).... "so why can't I just pay for 3 days' worth of TV?... That's not in our policy". That's not consumer-friendly, is it?! I can't understand how archaic this is - but then, it's about funding the national TV channel, isn't it, not anything else. I'll just make sure that I'm watching saved TV (not live) on my ipad and not BBC I-player, of course, because you still need a TV licence for that.

I also continued cancelling Direct Debits this week to companies I no longer have any contracts with, or where I'm ending a contract.  Sky have been emailing and texting, saying "are you sure you want to leave us?"  I guess that's a good marketing strategy, in case people have second thoughts about leaving Sky. 

I've also had the final bill for the cats' transport - well over £3,500! That doesn't include the insurance for them either. But they are so worth it. I really hope they survive the trauma of the flights and the quarantine, and that they still speak to me on Monday 14 Jan when I pick them up in Brisbane!

One unexpected joy, which I haven't mentioned before in my blog, is that two months ago I got back in touch, via a mutual friend's comment, with an old acquaintance, someone I'd worked with way back in Allerton High days. We have reconnected and fallen in love, which is just amazing. I know - not what I was expecting or looking for! But it's fantastic and I'm very happy.  I feel sure that we will transcend the geographical distance and there will be frequent trans-Pacific flights both ways!