The first week

The first 3 days I couldn’t get over how lost I felt. A campus for 1400 students with very few double storey buildings is large and full of different blocks. I spent a lot of time just walking around trying to get my bearings. In the end I worked out that I should just head for the mountains as the only thing between my classroom and the mountains was the school rugby field. It is a stunningly beautiful setting.

I have a very light timetable as Richard did the extra half class at the start of the year (35 periods). The timetabling seems much more straightforward. There are 7 lines each of 7 periods over the fortnight and 1 period for assembly. Each student takes an option in each line. Each full time teacher teaches 5 1/2lines. I also have two parallel year 12 classes so this reduces my preparation further. There are also some changes half way through the year for students.

I have come in right at the busiest time of year with the build up to mock exams for all the seniors (year 11-13). There is so much going on – there is a full staff briefing for all staff for 15mins where notices are shared and printed – on some days this has run to three pages! These are then read out in form time with the students before teaching starts at 9am. The things range from sports, drama, music, charity,

Assembly alternates between being student and staff led – they are an hour long. Today’s assembly was student led. It had notices by adults from in the school and some from the community, there were also student performances and house captains’ challenges. The whole school listened really well particularly given the cramp unsighted circumstances that some of them were in.

The students seem very similar to BSCS with some bright students, and some less motivated students who need cajoling the whole time. They all like to know the boundaries. The whole school rules seem less stringent than BSCS and much more left to the individual teacher (gum, coats (allowed in class as long as plain black), knives for art allowed, very few internet sites blocked (spoken about as a culture of trust in assembly)) A bright year 9 class had a few boys who want to disrupt everyone – just about under control with a few periods of time outside the classroom and sitting in a different seat. This class don’t really fly through work – much like an equivalent class back home. I am looking forward to observing some lessons so I can get a flavour of some other classes.