Diary WEEK
the better team in the second half. They score with their first shot on target in the 68th minute and we dramatically equalise in the 69th. The game goes to penalties and we win 5-3. Funnily enough, the penalties are the calmest I have been all day as I am totally confident in the boys. After wild celebration, a lost voice and gaining a nice trophy, we head back to Widnes as national champions.
Wednesday
Even after winning the final yesterday, the wife doesn’t let me have a lie in and I’m up at 5.45am watching Mickey Mouse Club House. The school day starts with a team meeting where I go through yesterday’s events and then discuss the rest of the week as we have lots of upcoming deadlines for year 11 and year 10 coursework alongside checking in with a range of NGBs to see if any of their guidelines have changed due to our locality going into lockdown. Luckily, after some research, we have found that there are no additional guidelines and we can continue to deliver in line with the current guidelines. I have badminton and cricket with year 8 groups and also a baseline assessment lesson with
year 7 on handball. A member of the team also comes to standardise the baseline scores for year 7 during the handball lesson to make sure that we are accurate and consistent across the team, which thankfully we are. Unfortunately, we are not able to deliver any of our extracurricular clubs at the minute so I use the time after school to mark some coursework and also provide some coaching feedback to a member of team PE on their teaching and learning (T&L). I’m very lucky to lead an experienced team of amazing teachers who work very hard to deliver high quality provision to our pupils. After school, I race to pick Summer up from nursery where I am always late. After playtime and tea, I head out for a quick ten mile bike ride which is a brilliant end to another busy day.
Thursday
Thursday sees another three lessons and my first real behaviour issue of the year. After ensuring that the issue is resolved, all the paperwork and admin is sorted and the pupil is back on the right track which takes longer than I had planned, it is time for our weekly team PE meeting. Once the
refreshments of Diet Coke, crisps and cakes (I know we are meant to be PE teachers but by Thursday we are in need of some sugar) are distributed in a truly social distant manner, we go through the agenda including year 7 baseline assessment process and update, T&L strategy on dual coding from our RQT and a marking and feedback activity to streamline our departmental policy. I bid farewell to my team and head home to cook tea for the three of us. A long night of marking and planning is ahead to ensure that I can keep on top of the continually growing pile of homework.
Friday
I decide to cycle to school this morning which puts a real spring in my step. I feel energised and refreshed for two lessons, three meetings and a few hours of data analysis of the current year 11s. I end the week still floating after Tuesday’s heroics. I finish the day with a year 11 intervention session with a sports studies class who need some additional work as a result of the first lockdown. A strong turnout from the pupils and a productive session ends my working week. The only problem
now is the torrential rain I have to cycle home in. I should’ve checked the weather forecast in the morning. Schoolboy error.
Saturday
It’s a full day of family time with Helen and Summer. We head down to stables in nearby Chester to see the family horse Arthur. Summer loves walking in the puddles while Helen feeds Arthur. There is no way Summer isn’t going to like horses with her mum being so passionate and talented with them despite my best efforts to introduce football early to her.
Sunday
Morning and early afternoon are again spent with family before I start planning, marking and preparing for the upcoming week. I write down my goals for each day and try my best to link them to the longer term goals I have for the department. Whilst extremely intense and full on, I feel fortunate to work at such a proud sporting school and with a team of amazing role models. This makes the long hours and busy days very much worth it.
Issue No.81 January/February/March 2021 SCHOOL SPORT 33
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