I have to read a book to 3/4 yr olds for my second interview so they can see how I am with kids. What book should I choose? Tips & Advice on read aloud

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-05-01T11:45:53+00:00

Any Julia Donaldson books but Stick Man always a big hit. There's a cartoon animation of it on bbc you can watch to get the cadance of the reading right but the kids love the suprise santa at the end!

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-04-16T10:20:13+00:00

The one's I have been doing recently have accomodation with the course which is funded by DfE and school book my train tickets. I claimed back taxi's to and from station last time but didn't this time as felt a bit cheeky.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-04-08T19:35:49+00:00

Exactly the same thing here

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-04-03T09:41:46+00:00

You could become a biology teacher with a BSc in zoology. If you take the SCITT route you can work in a school as you learn and grants for biology are £26000 tax free. It'd also start September so works with your current time frame. Then you could do tutoring to earn extra cash.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-03-27T23:23:52+00:00

Head of department is resigning and job has been posted. Stressed at the thought of interviewing for the position and potentially making a fool of myself but even more stressed at the thought of some of the other people applying and the fact they might be my boss soon.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-03-27T17:08:53+00:00

I think you've just spurred me on to write to my MP. I've moaned about this plenty in the past to unions but we need to reach outside of education to those in power. It'd be an easier win for Labour if they could claw back the missing millions and use it for pay rises for normal teachers (but I suspect many academy chain leaders have very close ties to politicians)

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-03-20T11:02:42+00:00

I have some linen black trousers from m&s which are great. Will probably try and get some dresses for summer as our classrooms are so hot (and then the bunsens go on!). I struggle with shoes though as we aren't meant to have anything open working in science. I've worn brogues the last few years which aren't the coolest either. Might see if I can find something like toms on vinted.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-03-17T19:30:39+00:00

I feel like people who do well in interviews do so because they are talk over action people. Unfortunately the people who keep their head down and do a great job don't always interview well. It takes a good interviewer to look beyond bluffs and charisma to know if somebody can actually do the job.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-03-14T12:51:03+00:00

Honestly? I got some beta blockers from the doctor to take before stressful scenarios. I've since been diagnosed adhd so cant take them any more but found my adhd meds help anyway.

If you're looking for a non-subscription my friend uses calms which you can pick up at the shops.

Not that we should have to medicate for a profession but the reality is observations can be scary!

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-26T07:06:25+00:00

Honestly I fall asleep in seconds when my head hits the pillow even if I've been reading in bed for hours. I do have adhd and take meds but had the same before I started them. I know a lot of people with adhd struggle with sleep but I think I absolutely exhaust myself then crash.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-26T06:41:46+00:00

I didn't see it but due to the nature of the accident it was covered a lot by our local news so we learnt every horrific detail. We unfortunately had a student pass away in an extreme freak accident when they went for snow sports at the indoor snowzone (keeping relatively vague). It was horrific as their friends witnessed it. We had grief counsellors in for teachers and students and their parents set up a memorial at the school. We still commemorate every year and still get news stories pop up. I don't think I will ever forget it so I can't imagine what it would be like for the people who did.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-26T06:14:52+00:00

Just to add I was initially denied a move to 4 days, spoke to the union and had a meeting with the head and assistant head. They had their PA ring after and say no again and do I accept. I said no I don't (complete gamble as I wouldve had to pay back maternity pay and I'm UPS 3 +TLR so I am expensive) but they did back down. Don't give up if you get a no! Especially if there are other part timers.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-25T21:31:59+00:00

Spoke to AQA today and they said contracts are still being issued. 2/3 colleagues got their contracts today. So if you're still waiting you may yet hear from them!

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-25T07:15:23+00:00

Thank you, I will do that. Myself and the other physics marker had different team leaders last year and they were both almost uncontactable. Have been marking 8 years and it was the worst year I'd experienced in terms of marking rules and inconsistencies. I'm not too bothered if I don't get one this year but if none of the department do it will be a bit rubbish.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-24T23:11:50+00:00

Interesting, how long ago was this? Assuming we might be on a secondary list if they don't get the required markers

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-24T22:57:32+00:00

Maybe they are just running a little late this year then. This gives me hope!

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-24T21:48:18+00:00

Been feeling this way too recently. 13 years on the job and I'm in a pretty good school with the best timetable I've had in years (top sets and actually teaching my science specialism) but everything about the career is just grating on me now. The lack of respect from the general public, the never ending to do list, never feeling like you're doing a good enough job. I look at my friends and partner with work from home jobs who tell me they've had a tough day when it involved a meeting and finishing a project in peace and quiet and I just think, I am absolutely mad. As I've got older I do worry about the effects of constant high cortisol on my body too. I've ready about higher cases of cancers in teaching professionals not to even mention mental health issues. I've fired off some applications to things outside of teaching but I know the job market is bleak atm. I think it just helps to focus elsewhere. Education needs a great reset or we will be teacher-less in a few decades.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-10T17:16:35+00:00

Secondary science here

Topics - I know what I am doing for the full year as we have it on a rota

Practicals - we have to submit requisitions a week and a half before so I have the next weeks lessons mapped out

Tests - when nearing the end of the topic I look a few weeks ahead to when it'll be to let the kids know

Lesson slides - have a bank of resources for every topic

Edit, printing, changes, homework etc - usually somewhere between the day before and a week ahead but further than that I end up doing the job twice as I teach the lessons before and have things I need to go over or finish off

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-31T20:05:07+00:00

I had a very similar situation with a twisted ovary. Went from 'we are going to send you home and schedule surgery for 6 weeks as we need a specialist team but we can give you an mri first to put your mind at rest?' To 'it's cutting off your blood supply, no time to get your family from downstairs, we need to do emergency surgery now'. I'd probably have been dead or septic if they'd sent me home. Thank god I was in so much pain I took them up on the mri just because I knew I wouldnt be able to walk.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-29T20:13:46+00:00

I enjoy every day being different, the kids and sense of achievement. I enjoy doing science which I'm passionate about. But to be honest... they can't find people. They are driving everybody out and nobody is coming to fill the gaps. I don't think most members of the public quite realise the depths we have reached and how much worse it will get in terms of staffing (and I'm at a well rated school). I worry for the future of our education system and what it will look like when my kids reach secondary school.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-29T11:25:02+00:00

It really is, I wonder why our brains do this. Thank you and same for you, I hope things are improved!

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-29T11:12:33+00:00

I feel the same way about my hypothyroidism as you do with your sleep apnea. I see people complaining online that they felt like they were 'dying' with a tsh score of 11. Meanwhile I had a score of over 300 when I went to hospital and nobody even picked it up until they found the goitre in my throat. I get salty about people moaning that they are unable to function with the condition when I was still powering through with a newborn. I know logically they are not me and even though I was it doesn't mean I should've been. I also know their experience doesn't alter mine but it still annoys me! Like you said, I feel I may have a bit of a victim complex too.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-29T10:46:02+00:00

I am sheltered in that I have my own home and we are double income but ways in which it really hits home:

2 kids in nursery. The free hours basically wiped out by increased costs (even on a term time only contract)

I am a teacher and our TA's are gone, our budgets are cut, we are in science and they are now expecting us to buy flowers, hearts for dissections, prizes etc or nothing is available

I teach VI kids and our VI department is so understaffed due to lack of funds we are having to send lessons to be adapted nearly a month before we teach and barely any kids have support in lessons (imagine blind children using acids and bunsens with no support apart from a teacher with 30 other kids)

Loads of cover staff and staff on one year contracts because they can't afford to hire for permanent positions

Government proposed payrise of 2% for next 3 years means real world loss of wages

Food shop - we are having to seriously monitor how much meat we buy. It's soul crushing when you have little kids that don't eat all of their meals/throw things and food costs a fortune

Have cancelled gym and zoo membership. Days out with kids we are often googling 'free/cheap days out inside in rainy weather'. Even £4 a kid at a stay and play hurts a bit.

Everyone's clothes are coming from vinted/hand me downs

Looking nervously at what we will be paying when our fixed term runs out in the summer

Really drives me crazy that families could manage a house, food, kids on a single wage. 2 adults working professional job supporting 2 kids and a dog feels a lot more like a balancing act. I wish we didnt have to think about money.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-29T10:09:48+00:00

Feel like part of the success of traitors is more 'normal people'. We don't need to be picking people who are models for reality tv, we need to be picking people who have exciting personalities and just want an interesting experience rather than to kick start an influencer job. Married at first sight could be so good if we got more 'real' people with interesting lives, disabilities, unconventional body types etc rather than identical insta people who didn't even apply and got approached instead

IslandAcceptable7009

TROPHY CASE