Friday

Welcome to a cold and frosty early morning in Middle-Essexland.  Slipper socks and thick, fleecy dressing gown are both warmly appreciated (in every sense) this morning and it is nice to feel cosy and comfortable, sitting at my PC with a steaming coffee beside me.  Small pleasures add up to big contentment, don't they.

It was another fairly busy day yesterday.  The biggie was the afternoon meeting which saw me wearing my school governor's hat but with a changed responsibility, that of being the Curriculum and Standards Governor.  At our school, well managed, well led and with outstanding teachers, there are very few management concerns about standards, but one still has to ask the challenging questions and to keep an eye on the assessment data, the learning environment, etc.  It's shocking how quickly things can go belly up if management is not on the ball and lets things slide.  Knowing the school pretty well, there were no surprises but it was good to look through the latest data and then to have an escorted environmental walk round the school looking at areas like the reading corner, assessment statements, support and learning displays, etc.  I enjoyed it very much.

After that I did the last tuition sessions for the week - all very successful - before dinner and then crashed out for the evening.  I slept really well too.

Today is far less crammed.  I have to write my report of my visit for the governors and really that's about it.  My nice cleaner comes later on and it's a downstairs only week (one week she does the whole house, the next just downstairs).  However, I daresay I will find things to do and I won't get bored!

Well, the coffee has disappeared and it's time for another one while the dishwasher needs emptying so I will say 'Goodbye' and disappear into the kitchen.  Have a lovely Friday.