Today it has rained.? Not exactly a phenomenon in England but it has been a while since I didn’t need to water the potted plants on the patio.? It is a grey, miserable day and I’m not looking forward to the walk round to our local greengrocer, but there are others worse off than I am.

Those living in Virginia, for example, who I know are having a hard time with the floods.? A friend’s son can’t go to school because of what the school describes as ‘inclement weather’.? Tough, those Virginians.? Rain is also forecast pretty much everywhere in the UK and we can only hope that the most vulnerable areas escape severe flooding.

There will be fewer barbecues, visits to the beach, cocktails on the lawn (unless you have a marquee or gazebo) and walks in the park for the sake of it.

However, there is one group that I pity more than any other.? Not the farmers, waiting to see if their crops survive until next harvest without being beaten to a pulp by the rain – watch out for higher prices.? Not the people planning outdoor events, who hope that the sun will shine on the one day that they need it to.? Not the allotment owners, gazing out of the window for that break in the clouds that will allow them to dig/plant/weed the precious produce they are growing for the table.? No.

Teachers.? They have the roughest deal on days such as this.? Firstly, the kids come in wet.? If they have ignored everything their accompanying adult has said to them and jumped in the inviting puddles (not necessarily with wellie boots on) they may have to change into something else, often the P.E. kit.? This leaves items of clothing – frequently socks – draped over the classroom radiators (very attractive) – with the vain hope that the owners will remember to take them at the end of the day, no matter how many times they are reminded.

Most school have two or three breaktimes a day.? If the rain is light, staff will take the kids out, as they need a run round during the day to refresh them.? I was always willing to take them out until it became uncomfortable – see fifth paragraph on Wet Socks.? If not, it is generally a case of march them into the hall or their own classrooms, where they play games, draw, argue and generally do not get any exercise.? One day can be coped with but, if days pass and there is no let up, the general tone of lessons slides down a slippery slope until it’s almost pointless trying.? Add wind to the equation and everything happens a lot faster.

There is a fine line to be drawn between being soft and being harsh and it is one of those questions always left hanging.? Are we going out?? It is generally up to the member of staff on duty, who must weigh the Wet Sock against the Fidgety Child.? I have no answers.? Good luck.

Newspaper article this morning on the BBC news site:

More than 50% of teachers in England ‘plan to quit in next two years’

I am entirely unsurprised.? Over successive governments, there have been, in my opinion, two driving questions in their thoughts about how to deal with education: What did the last government do that we can undo?? How can we make ourselves look good to the electorate?? Conspicuous by its absence is any consideration of what is good for teachers, pupils, parents, the future of the country, especially where it might involve any genuine consultation, not just lip service.

Having just retired, I feel in a favoured position.? I can say that I reached an age where I felt I had done my duty and need to take my ease for as many years as I can.? That is, truly, only part of the story.? A very large part, to be sure, but there were other factors in the background.

I was at the same school for fourteen years before I doffed the mantle.? I served under three different heads and survived three inspections.? When I left, I was the longest serving full-time member of staff – only two other part-timers had been there longer than I had.? Over the course of my forty-odd year career, I had seen National Curriculum born, the various changes in it? (sometimes directly contradicting each other) and watched levels come and go.? I had seen the inception of Academies for ‘all the right reasons’ and their growth for all the wrong ones.? In all those changes, the most frequently heard cry was that it would improve education.? Whether those who made these decisions actually believed what they were saying, I fear we will never know, but of one thing I am rock solid certain: teachers bore the brunt every time.? Changes in pay, working conditions and PPA (planning, preparation and assessment) time were only the tip of the iceberg.? It was at ground level where, on a daily basis, they were (and still are) struggling with fitting in their lunch, looking after and supporting pupils who were not keeping up, running clubs to ‘enable’ the Gifted and Talented (now called something else again) that the excess stresses begin to mount.

In my own six-seven week summer ‘holiday’, I would frequently spend the first two trying to relax (mindful of all the work I had to do), if I was lucky I went on a holiday away from home (always feeling guilty as I thought of all the work I had to do) and spent the last two week before the return to school doing all the work I had to do.? Then came the latest incarnation of the Curriculum.? In September 2014, the curriculum was revised yet again.? It would be too long and tedious – and pointless – to go through it all but the bit that concerned me was Computing.? We were no longer to teach ICT (Information and Communication Technology) but a curriculum for our time.? I had long acknowledged that kids come in to school at the tender age of four/five being more computer literate than their forebears.? I had adjusted my teaching over the years to accommodate this and I had received numerous messages from ex-pupils on how useful my teaching had been.

I do not have the expertise for the new curriculum.? I cannot teach coding to five-year-olds.? I found, in the September of 2014, that I was going in on the first day completely unrefreshed after all those weeks away from school.? I saw dark clouds on the horizon in the form of an inspection, as we had a new head and it’s normal to have an inspection after one has been in place for a year.? We were also due for one in the inspection cycle.? I am a good teacher but enough is? enough.

If I felt like that after all the years I had been in the classroom and adapted to each new initiative, directive and shock to the system that different governments threw at my beloved profession, how were the younger generations, who hadn’t had time to harden, going to cope?? Perhaps losing droves of teachers is exactly what the government wants.? It would mean that the upcoming generation would be less educated and, therefore, less questioning.? Even businesses are beginning to say that they ignore university degrees as they aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.

Good luck, my fellow professionals – do NOT suffer in silence!? Good luck, Future.? I hope it all works out for you.

I hadn’t meant to write another so soon but I couldn’t help myself.? I went into (local) town to get a couple of things and see if I could spend the last thirty pounds on my Marks & Spencer gift card from my class at the end of the year.? I did, by the way? – all but just over ?4 of it, which will come in handy for a cup of tea another time.

My first thought, as I waited for the bus (Freedom Passes must be used, you know!) was that the streets appeared so empty.? One other person was waiting with me and there was little traffic around.? When the bus arrived, I did a quick sweep of the occupants and found that the woman I had been standing with was the youngest on the vehicle.? We picked up other passengers on the way and they were all my side of fifty.

Once in town, I headed for M&S straight away.? I was eager to see if they had anything I actually wanted.? Not always the case.? As luck would have it, there was a mini-sale and I did manage to buy two tops – one a zip up hoodie – and some socks.? I know – more exciting than one would have thought possible!? Another quick look round to assess the average age of the shopper – I was young!? Many had walking aids.

My next excursion was to the Ladies’ Room.? To arrive at the one in our M&S, you need to go through the caf?.? Grey hair all over the place!? It was like the antithesis of Soylent Green!? I was in no way tempted to stop for a cuppa – not even to spend my last bit of gift card.

The return journey was not so full of the Silver Surfers – it was school chucking out time!? At least there were only a reduced number where I was waiting for the return bus but they made enough noise for a whole establishment.? I may turn into A Lady of Letters and send a stiff note to the head of the worst offending school.

I made it home without further incident, although I will try to go out earlier in the day in future to avoid the school kids.? Small steps.